A dispute over the handling of a purported list tied to infrastructure budget proposals has drawn renewed attention at the House of Representatives, after Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon challenged Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste to make the document public without delay.
Ridon said the lawmaker from Batangas could disclose the material on his own and need not wait for clearance from the Department of Public Works and Highways. The document, which Leviste has referenced in recent remarks, allegedly identifies proponents of multibillion-peso infrastructure projects proposed for the 2025 budget and is said to have originated from the late DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral.
“Mas magandang llabas na lang ni Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste ang buo, at hindi pa-konti-konting 2025 DPWH project listing with proponents na sinasabi niyang kasama ang mga sumusunod: a. Congressmen, b. Senators, c. Executive officials, “including Secretaries and Undersecretaries outside DPWH” d. Private individuals,” Ridon said in a statement.
He also questioned the timing of the disclosure and the absence of the person who could authenticate the document. “Marapat na ilabas niya ito sa pinakamaagang panahon. Hindi niya kailangan ng abiso mula sa Kongreso o kay DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon para gawin ito… Mahalagang ipaliwanag ni Rep. Leviste bakit niya hindi ito inilabas pagkakuha niya ng sinasabi niyang dokumento mula kay yumaong DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral noong September 4, 2025, o higit tatlong buwan na ang nakalipas. Mahalagang ipaliwanag din niya kung bakit ngayon lang niya binabanggit ang listahang ito, ngayong patay na ang nag-iisang maaaring makapagpatunay ng authenticity ng dokumentong ito,” he added.
Asked during a press conference on Monday when he would release the files, Leviste said the disclosure would come later.
“Ang files na ito ay ibinigay sa akin pagkatapos tumawag si Secretary Vince at tinawagan din siya ni Usec. Cabral noong September 4. At unang-una, normally pag may tao na magbigay sa iyo ng files, courtesy lang na bago isapubliko ito, ibigay sa kanya ang pagkakataon na siya ang magsa-publiko nito. Lalung lalo na po dahil maganda kung ang DPWH ang magpaliwanag at magbigay ng konteksto at kumpletong datos sa mga files na ito,“ the Batangas solon said, referring to Department of Public Works and Highways and its secretary Vince Dizon.
The exchange escalated after Leviste posted on social media alleging that Ridon’s party-list organization had infrastructure projects listed as insertions in the 2025 budget. “Ang Bicol Saro Party List po ay nasa 19th Congress, at it’s not really an accusation kasi aminin na lang natin lahat. Lahat ng congressman may submission sa DPWH budget. Hindi sa House necessarily, pati sa NEP… At ang mga files na ‘yun ay nasa opisina ni Usec. Cabral. (36:09) Sa listahan po na mayroon ako mula kay Usec. Cabral, nandoon po ang P150 million pesos road projects ng Bicol Saro sa Pamplona at Pasacao, CamSur,” Leviste said.
Ridon rejected the claim and pointed to the timeline of his term in office. “Kabababalik lang natin sa Kongreso ngayong taon, 30 June 2025, sa ilalim ng 20th Congress. Kaya paano ako magkakaroon ng insertions sa 2025 budget kung hindi pa ako congressman noong binuo ang budget na ito noong 2024, sa ilalim ng 19th Congress?” he said.
