Who is Maynard Ngu, the tech exec who allegedly served as Chiz Escudero's bagman for flood control 'kickbacks'?
Businessman Maynard Ngu made the rounds on social media after former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo mentioned his name while linking Sen. Chiz Escudero and other former lawmakers to the flood control scandal.
At the Sept. 25 Senate hearing on irregularities in flood control projects, Bernardo claimed that he personally delivered P160 million in kickbacks to Ngu's office, which were supposedly meant for Escudero.
The senator has vehemently denied any involvement in the controversy, calling the allegations a "well-orchestrated plan to attack the Senate and its members to destroy and discredit the institution and to divert the public’s attention from the real perpetrators."
After being dragged into the flood control mess, some Internet users are now curious: Who is Maynard Ngu, and how is he associated with Escudero?
Knack for business
Ngu is the CEO of Cosmic Technologies, the company behind the popular smartphone brand Cherry Mobile. He is also one of the owners of a premium wine bar and shop known as Cork Wine Bar, where Escudero and his wife, actress Heart Evangelista, held a party to celebrate their renewal of vows in February 2024.
The businessman earned a bachelor's degree in Commerce, major in Management and Finance at De La Salle University. He eventually made his mark in the tech industry at age 33 when he founded Cherry Mobile in 2009. Evangelista has collaborated with the local brand in the past.
According to a 2016 feature on The Philippine STAR, he also held roles in other firms, including Versatile Telecoms Inc., a distributor of HTC, Alcatel, TCL, and Gigabyte products.
Government ties
In March 2023, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. appointed Ngu as Special Envoy to China for trade, investments, and tourism. With this role, he promotes international trade and investment between the Philippines and China as well as engages stakeholders to boost trade and economic opportunities.
Ngu became a recipient of the 2025 Award for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding by the ALC Group of Companies, which recognizes individuals who have significantly fostered friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries through their work, advocacy, and leadership.
His company, Cosmic Technologies, began serving as a contractor for the Department of Education in 2024. Their most recent contract was made in April this year, as seen on DepEd's website.
Escudero's campaign donor
A recent report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism showed that the tech executive donated P30 million to Escudero during the 2022 polls.
Ngu is the second government contractor to have made the rounds online as Escudero's campaign donor—next to the senator's friend, Lawrence Lubiano, the president of flood control contractor Centerways Construction and Development Incorporated.
Lubiano, who reportedly donated P30 million to Escudero in the elections in the same year, was summoned by the Commission on Elections to explain his donation then, including why he shouldn't be charged for violating Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code. The section prohibits campaign contributions from "Natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions or instrumentalities, with goods or services or to perform construction or other works."
