Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste confirmed on Monday, August 25, that a case will be filed against a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official who allegedly attempted to bribe him with millions of pesos to halt his probe into questionable infrastructure projects.
In an official statement, Leviste said the complaint against DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo Calalo will be lodged before the Office of the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor on Tuesday, August 26.
“We should not tolerate any corruption in DPWH. We should demand projects at better quality and lower cost, and obligate contractors to correct any deficiencies immediately without additional cost to government,” Leviste declared.
The incident stemmed from an entrapment operation in Taal, Batangas, where Calalo was arrested after allegedly handing over ₱3.1 million in cash to the congressman. Leviste earlier exposed that the money was meant to discourage him from pursuing his investigation into irregularities involving public works projects in the province.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was among those who lauded Leviste’s swift action, saying the young lawmaker set an example by refusing to yield to corruption. On social media, Lacson pointed out that the attempted bribery was linked to up to ₱360 million in alleged kickbacks.
Leviste, who took office as representative on June 30, 2025, vowed to continue pursuing reforms within the DPWH, stressing that the issue goes beyond a single case.
“Beyond this case, we will push for broader reforms to address systemic problems of DPWH,” he emphasized.
The 32-year-old first-time lawmaker, who won by a record margin in the May elections, is also known as the founder of Solar Philippines and former head of SP New Energy Corp. His strong anti-corruption stance, particularly against irregularities in infrastructure projects, has been a central theme of his early days in office.
The DPWH has yet to issue a public statement regarding Calalo’s arrest and the impending case.
