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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Leviste: Nabbed DPWH engineer admits receiving donations from contractors

Leviste: Nabbed DPWH engineer admits receiving donations from contractors

Published Sep 5, 2025 01:45 pm
Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer's (DE) defense that he gave the neophyte solon "donations from contractors" and not a bribe wasn’t much of a defense at all.
Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer's (DE) defense that he gave the solon "donations" and not a bribe isn’t much of a defense at all.
In fact, it's an admission pf committing an anomaly, Legarda Leviste said.
In fact, it's an admission of an anomaly, Legarda Leviste said.

"At least it seems that DE has admitted getting donations from contractors," Leviste said in a statement on Friday, Sep. 5.
Leviste advised the engineer to just reveal "the long list of names of other contractors and proponents" of other infrastructure projects in his district, who, based on their conversation, "were also ready and willing to give support".
"I was told that DE's defense is that what he was giving me were 'donations' from contractors, which he admits could be as high as P360 [million]," he said.
"Response: This cash came with a receipt of 3 contracts totaling P104,230,000 with a note of '3% 3,126,900.00,'" he added.
On Aug. 25, police arrested a DPWH district engineer, identified as 51-year-old Abelardo Calalo, after he allegedly attempted to bribe Leviste with P3,126,900 to dissuade him from conducting a probe on anomalous DPWH projects in his district.
Leviste, who coordinated with the police for the entrapment operation, eventually filed cases of Direct Bribery, Corruption of Public Officials, Violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials against Calalo.
Calalo, in a statement Friday, said he was "vehemently deny[ing] the accusations" against him.
"The same are either contrived or founded on a twisting of the truth, and clearly as part of a political agenda."
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