Francis Escudero

Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero (Tagalog pronunciation: [ɛskʊˈdero], born October 10, 1969) is a Filipino politician and lawyer who has served as a senator of the Philippines since 2022 and previously from 2007 to 2019. A member of the Nationalist People's Coalition, he served as the 31st president of the Senate of the Philippines from 2024 to 2025. He unsuccessfully ran for vice president of the Philippines in the 2016 elections as the running mate of Grace Poe. Born to a political family based in Sorsogon, Escudero was educated at the University of the Philippines. He entered politics in 1998 after being elected as the representative for Sorsogon's first district, a seat he would hold until 2007. During his tenure, he served as the spokesperson for the unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign of Fernando Poe Jr. In the aftermath of the ensuing Hello Garci scandal, he supported the efforts to impeach President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Escudero was elected to the Senate in the 2007 election. As a senator, he was cited as a possible presidential candidate in the 2010 election. After declining a run for higher office, he endorsed the split-ticket "NoyBi" tandem, which would win the election. In 2016, he ran for vice president and lost to Leni Robredo. He was reelected to the Senate in the 2013 election, leaving office in 2019. He then served as the 23rd governor of Sorsogon from 2019 to 2022. Escudero returned to the upper chamber after being elected in the 2022 election. In 2024, he was elected to the Senate presidency after a successful effort to oust his predecessor Juan Miguel Zubiri from the office. His leadership of the Senate was marked by his handling of the impeachment of Sara Duterte, which received a mixed reception. In September 2025, he was ousted as president of the Senate of the Philippines, and replaced by Senator Tito Sotto, amid corruption allegations surrounding government flood control projects.

Infobox

Committee positions

Committee positions Chair of the Senate Higher, Technical and Vocational Education CommitteeIn officeJune 30, 2022 – May 22, 2024Preceded byJoel VillanuevaSucceeded byAlan Peter CayetanoChair of the Senate Education, Arts and Culture CommitteeIn officeFebruary 27, 2017 – June 30, 2019Preceded byBam AquinoSucceeded byWin Gatchalian (as Chair of the Senate Basic Education, Arts and Culture)Chair of the Senate Banks, Financial Institutionsand Currencies CommitteeIn officeJuly 25, 2016 – June 30, 2019Preceded bySerge OsmeñaSucceeded byGrace PoeChair of the Senate Finance CommitteeIn officeJuly 22, 2013 – July 28, 2015Preceded byFranklin DrilonSucceeded byLoren LegardaChair of the Senate National Defense and Security CommitteeIn officeJuly 26, 2010 – July 22, 2013Preceded byRodolfo BiazonSucceeded byAntonio TrillanesChair of the Senate Justice and Human Rights CommitteeIn officeJuly 23, 2007 – July 22, 2013Preceded byJuan Ponce EnrileSucceeded byKoko Pimentel

Preceded by

Robert Lee Rodrigueza

Succeeded by

Jose Edwin Hamor

Vice Governor

Manuel Fortes

Born

Francis Joseph Guevara Escudero (1969-10-10) October 10, 1969 (age 56)Manila, Philippines

Political party

NPC (1998–2009; since 2018)

Other politicalaffiliations

Independent (2009–2018)

Spouses

mw- Christine Flores (m. 2005; ann. 2011) Heart Evangelista (m. 2015)

Relations

Dette Escudero (sister)Martin Escudero (nephew)

Children

Parent(s)

Salvador Escudero (father)Evelina Escudero (mother)

Education

University of the Philippines Diliman (BA, LL.B.) Georgetown University (LL.M.)

Website

Official website

Party

NPC (1998–2009; since 2018)