Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo on Thursday broke his silence on alleged corruption in flood control contracts, revealing a supposed scheme to funnel kickbacks from government projects.
At the middle of the scheme is tech-billionaire Maynard Ngu, the chief executive officer of Cosmic Technologies—the company behind popular local cellphone brands Cherry Mobile.
In his sworn affidavit, the retired DPWH official claimed that he funneled through Ngu 20% or P160 million of about P800 million of inserted projects for Valenzuela and Marinduque in the General Appropriations Act. The P160 million, Bernardo said, was “meant for Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero.”
Bernardo described Ngu as his “close friend,” and that he personally delivered cash to the latter’s office in Manila.
In 2023, Ngu was appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as his special envoy to China for trade, investments, and tourism.
In his affidavit, Bernardo said Ngu is also a “close friend” and campaign contributor to Escudero.
GMA News Online has requested comment from Ngu regarding Bernardo’s statements, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.
According to GMA News Research, Escudero’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) showed that Ngu contributed P30 million to the former’s senatorial campaign in Eleksyon 2022.
Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., is also listed in the SOCE as having contributed the same amount to Escudero.
Ngu also donated P1 million worth of mobile phones to the campaign of Senator Robin Padilla, based on the latter’s SOCE for the 2022 polls.
Ngu’s Cosmic Technologies is also a contractor for the Department of Education, according to GMA News Research data.
Apart from heading Cosmic Technologies, Ngu is also a board director of Altus Property Ventures —a unit of Robinsons Land Corp. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
