Leviste releases 'Cabral files' on 2025 DPWH budget

Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste on Wednesday released the summary file of the 2025 Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget supposedly provided to him by former undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral prior to her death.

This came a day after the DPWH turned over all of Cabral’s computers and files to the Office of the Ombudsman in compliance with its subpoena duces tecum.

Leviste shared the lengthy list of projects per congressional district on his Facebook account.

He said that the summary file contains the “allocable” or the budget allocated to DPWH projects in certain districts, totalling to P401.3 billion. This supposedly ballooned to P1.041 trillion because of the “outside allocable,” he added. 

“Bukod dito, may ‘outside allocable’ naman na ina-allocate ng iba’t ibang mga proponents, kasama ang amendments (o insertions) sa House, Senate, Bicam, pati na rin sa [National Expenditure Program], kaya umabot sa P1.041 trillion ang ‘total budget’ sa [fiscal year] 2025 [General Appropriations Act],” the congressman said. 

(In addition, there is an 'outside allocable' allocated by various proponents, including amendments (or insertions) in the House, Senate, Bicam, as well as the NEP, so the 'total budget' reached P1.041 trillion in fiscal year 2025 GAA.) 

Leviste also clarified that the budget for each district was supposedly used by DPWH for projects, and not for the proponent. 

“Ang karamihan ng budget ay nasa labas ng ‘allocable’ ng mga district congressman, at may iba pang mga proponent. Mabuting malaman ng publiko ang nilalaman ng DPWH budget upang maipagmalaki po natin ang ating mga proyekto,” he said.

(The majority of the budget is outside the ‘allocable’ of the district congressmen, and there are other proponents as well. It is better for the public to know the content of the DPWH budget so that we can be proud of our projects.) 

“Kung maaari ko pong ulitin: Nakasulat dito ang pangalan ng district representative, pero hindi sila ang proponent sa buong budget, ang total ‘allocable’ ng district representatives ay P401.3 billion, habang ang karamihan ng budget ay nasa ‘outside allocable’ ng iba pang mga proponents, kaya umabot sa P1.041 trillion ang 2025 budget,” he added.

(If I may repeat: The names of the district representatives are written here, but they are not the proponent of the entire budget. The total 'allocable' of the district representatives is P401.3 billion, while the majority of the budget is in the 'outside allocable' of the other proponents, that’s why the 2025 budget reached P1.041 trillion.) 

The solon expressed hope that his colleagues will not be angry at him for releasing the files, which copies, he said, were also provided to members of the media. 

Computer files

Leviste previously said he was given a copy of the computer files by Cabral in September, while she was still the DPWH undersecretary for planning and public-private partnerships, and after DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon took office.

He said he was hesitant that he himself would make the list public, mindful of the harm it may cause on the reputation of the people listed in Cabral's computer files.

“Naniniwala ako na nais din itong gawin ni Sec. Vince, dahil napag-usapan namin noong September 4 ang kanyang push for transparency at pagbabahagi ng lahat sa publiko. Maaaring mahirap lang po ito dahil sa dami ng maaapektuhan, ngunit umaasa akong gagawin nila ito,” he explained in a separate Facebook post.

(I believe Sec. Vince wanted to release the files as well, as we discussed on September 4 his push for transparency and sharing everything publicly. It might have been difficult to do so because of the number of people implicated, but I hoped they would release the files.) 

The congressman said he was grateful that the Ombudsman asked for the files from the DPWH itself, which was complied with by the agency.

“Mabuti po na mas marami na ang may kopya, kabilang ang kanilang mga staff, upang masigurong hindi mawawala ang mga files,” he added.

(It's better that more people have a copy, including their staff, to ensure that the files are not lost.

Leviste earlier called on the DPWH to release to the public and explain the contents of the computer files supposedly left by Cabral. He said that the documents should also be turned over by the agency to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Cabral, who has been linked to anomalous flood control projects, was found on December 18 “unconscious and unresponsive” 20 to 30 meters below a highway hours after she instructed her driver to leave her at a portion of Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.

She was later pronounced dead shortly after midnight on December 19. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News