The Sandiganbayan has issued a hold departure order against former Senate president Francis Escudero and businessman Maynard Ngu amid an investigation into alleged plunder, graft, and bribery.
The order was granted following a request from the Office of the Ombudsman after a closed-door hearing.
Ngu is accused of contributing P30 million to Escudero’s 2022 campaign, while the former lawmaker allegedly received a 20-percent cut from P1.4 billion worth of infrastructure projects tied to a flood control controversy.
The court directed the Bureau of Immigration to block their departure and include them in the hold departure list.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the alleged P280 million in kickbacks linked to the case.
Source: PhilNews24 | April 28, 2026
