Two of the Philippines’ most prominent political dynasties went head-to-head on the House floor Tuesday, May 5, as Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste — son of Sen. Loren Legarda — squared off against Rep. Ryan Christian Recto, son of Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto, in a bitter public exchange over corruption and vote buying.
The confrontation began when Leviste, a first-term congressman representing Batangas’ first district, used a privilege speech to accuse fellow legislators of massive corruption and involvement in vote buying — with the executive secretary as his primary target. The speech quickly drew fire from both the administration and the opposition, exposing fault lines within a House dominated by lawmakers with deep dynastic roots.
Ryan Christian Recto rose to defend his parents, challenging both the accuracy and the intent of Leviste’s allegations. Among the specific claims he disputed was Leviste’s assertion that Gardiola had funded the Santos-Recto political slate in the 2025 elections through an arrangement brokered by the executive secretary.
“While this representation recognizes the importance of legislative oversight, I believe that it is equally important that information shared in this plenary is accurately based on facts, not assumptions, not insinuations and certainly not on incomplete information,” the younger Recto said. He dismissed any suggestion of improper ties between his father and CWS party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola, describing their relationship as purely professional.
Leviste later conceded that he had not independently verified his accusations, saying the information came from unnamed Batangas politicians. He nonetheless pressed his colleagues to investigate. “I’m saying this to let everyone know the connection of Gardiola and Ralph Recto and its effect on the country,” he said in Filipino.
The speech also contained a sweeping claim that “all” of his colleagues had been involved in vote buying — a statement that provoked an immediate backlash cutting across party lines. Rep. Leila de Lima of the Mamamayang Liberal party-list demanded that Leviste personally retract the allegation rather than let it be buried through procedural action.
“I understand, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Majority leader, but we want it from the mouth of Rep. Leviste himself,” de Lima said.
Majority Leader Sandro Marcos of Ilocos Norte’s first district — himself the son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — argued that a motion to strike portions of the speech had already addressed the substance of her objection. “I believe part of what she is espousing with regard to the contents of the speech was already covered by the motion in which parts of the speech be stricken off, in which there was no basis in fact or evidence,” he said.
Leviste eventually softened his position. “I would like to clarify that I meant that there are some, but not all, and there are many members of Congress who do not violate election laws, so please do not consider that I said that all, and I definitely withdraw that there are,” he said.
Quezon Rep. David Suarez questioned why the allegations were surfacing only now. “Why are we now standing here insinuating all sorts of illegal acts that happened in 2025 when so much time has passed? I question the timing of all of this,” he said.
The House voted to strike the entire speech from the record, acting on a motion by Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, who argued it did not rise to the level of personal or collective privilege.
The elder Recto issued a blistering response hours later, calling Leviste a “deranged person” and a “bitter brat” and alleging that the lawmaker had twice attempted to use money to bend his decisions. He claimed Leviste offered P400 million to push a political rival out of the race, and separately offered P1 billion to convince Vilma to abandon her gubernatorial bid — both of which he said he rejected.
“Again, I rejected it. It was insulting. It was infuriating. My respect for his mother, a former colleague, is the only reason why I did not expose him and file charges,” Recto said, referring to Legarda.
Recto further claimed that Leviste, upon winning his congressional seat, had sought his help in acquiring thousands of hectares of sugarcane land in Nasugbu. “I do not have the capacity to accommodate someone who can be considered a land grabber. I rejected it again,” he said.
In a dynasty-saturated chamber where political bloodlines often define alliances, the Leviste-Recto clash lays bare how personal rivalries — and family legacies — can fuel the sharpest legislative confrontations.
