Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has issued an order to halt construction work on the Senate building in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

In a media interview on Monday, Escudero expressed concerns regarding the P23-billion budget allocated for the construction of the Senate’s new premises, which he noted was initially bid at only P8.9 billion.

“I find it excessive, surprising, and distasteful that the Senate will spend such a large amount for our upcoming new home and office.”

He called for a thorough review of the purported increase in the budget for the new Senate building.

“I want to examine this closely and ascertain if the amount is truly justified and how it can be reduced, as I’m certain many of our countrymen will find this budget excessive,” Escudero stated.

Despite the suspension order, Escudero lamented the delay in the Senate’s planned relocation to the new building.

“It’s not true that we will be able to move to the new structure, land, and building by September. It’s also unlikely that we will be able to move before the year ends. Even by 2025, I don’t think it will happen because there are still many preparations needed, and there are also several aspects that we have observed and are accustomed to that need further scrutiny and study,” he explained.

Escudero clarified that the Committee on Accounts would conduct a review, not an investigation, emphasizing that he is not making any accusations.

“The initial approved budget was P8.9 billion. We don’t know why it escalated, from initially being P13 billion to now P23 billion,” he pointed out. “I didn’t see any irregularity. I was just surprised by the amount. If P13 billion was surprising, then what more P23 billion just for an office?” he asked.

Regarding the purported additional P10 billion funding for the new Senate building, Escudero stated that they are still verifying whether it has already been approved or if it is still being requested.

He mentioned that the Senate has already disbursed P10 billion to the contractor, and a “slow down order” is in place due to discrepancies in the construction compared to the original plans, which are yet to be rectified.

Instructing Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, the new chairperson of the Committee on Accounts, Escudero emphasized the importance of ensuring the smooth transfer of the Senate to the new building and overseeing the project’s quality and timeliness.

The preliminary review by the committee revealed numerous variations, deviations, and modifications to the project, resulting in additional expenses totaling P833 million, nearly 10 percent of the original contract price.

Escudero ordered a deeper review of the project, with Cayetano asking the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to establish a high-level liaison team for the project.

This team, composed of DPWH’s Unified Project Management Office and the Bureau of Design, will ensure proper coordination.

Additionally, the committee recommended engaging a third-party construction management team to clarify and validate the project both technically and financially.

Escudero disclosed that he discussed this matter with former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and former Senator Panfilo Lacson during a recent lunch meeting.

The new Senate building project was initiated under Sotto’s term, and Lacson was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Accounts at the time.

The project was continued during Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri’s term, with Senator Nancy Binay as the accounts committee chairperson.

Binay expressed openness to discussing the findings of the present committee chair on the project with Escudero amidst the suspension.

“To be honest, I was also surprised by the source of SP Escudero’s information regarding the New Senate Building (NSB). Unfortunately, if SP had taken the time to inquire and understand the construction developments, I wish he would have been more informed and provided input and suggestions on how to save costs and expedite the transfer of the Senate to the new building,” Binay said.

Binay noted that Escudero was a senator during the 17th Congress in 2019. “I believe he has been made aware of the project costs,” she added.

In February 2019, Binay stated that Lacson clarified on the floor that the approved Multi-year Obligation Authority for the NSB is P8.9 billion, covering the “core and shell” of the four-tower building, while “the interior and fit-outs are entirely separate.”

Binay also addressed the construction of the three-level basement parking of the new Senate building. “There’s no truth to the claim of having no parking. During my tenure as chair of the committee on accounts, we sent official invitations to all senators for ocular inspections and one-on-one briefings about the progress, status, timelines, and other matters regarding the NSB,” she said.

Binay urged the new committee to expedite the review, noting that prolonging it would further delay the project.

“I understand that the Senate President’s intention is to review the budget for the New Senate Building, but I hope they expedite the review. We want to avoid any unnecessary expenses due to delays,” she said.