Leviste: Cabral files just the tip of the iceberg

Batangas First District Representative Leandro Leviste said the files of the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral are just the "tip of the iceberg" on the alleged anomalies in the agency.

“There are many threats to me right now. The Cabral files I’ve released are just tip of the iceberg. I won’t release all the files, but the public would understand why I am the target of various personalities.  And the more na nakikita ng taong bayan na tila may dahilan na nais ng iba na patahimikin ako,” Leviste said in a press conference in his hometown Batangas on Friday.

(The public would see why there are people who want to silence me.)

“Huwag niyo ako patayin kasi kung papatayin niyo ako lalabas ang buong katotohanan ng ginawa ninyo sa DPWH,” he added.

(Don’t kill me because if you do, all your dealings with the DPWH will be revealed.)

The Cabral files contained computer data and other documents that allegedly show the budget for government infrastructure projects of congressional districts.

Meanwhile, Leviste on Friday filed a libel complaint against Palace Press Officer Claire Castro over the official’s allegations that he violated laws over the selling of one of his companies, SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC), to Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN)’s renewable energy subsidiary, MGEN Renewables.

Leviste said that instead of training guns on him, government officials should focus on addressing the anomalous flood control projects.

“Kung ako naman po ay walang hawak na damaging evidence, siguro marami naman pong ibang [puede] atakehin nila na lang,” Leviste said.

(If I don’t have damaging evidence, they would have focused on targeting other people.)

“Pero ang dahilan na ang daming mga umaatake sa akin ay sa kadahilanan na ang hawak kong ebidensya ay higit pa sa Cabral files at kung ilalabas ko ito, malaki ang magiging consequences nito para sa ating bansa,” Leviste added.

In an earlier Super Radyo DZBB interview, Leviste said that Solar Philippines is a holding company for SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC) and Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation, all of which are firms that he founded.

Leviste also said that Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation, which was granted a congressional franchise to operate solar power plants in 2019, had stopped operations in 2022 since most of its projects were not issued permits under various circumstances, including legal challenges from electric cooperatives and refusal of local governments to issue them permits.

From 2023 to 2025, Leviste sold P22.259 billion worth of SPNEC shares to Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN)’s renewable energy subsidiary, MGEN Renewables.

Given these circumstances, Leviste strongly maintained that he had not violated any law. 

“Nais ko lang linawin na hindi totoo ang kaniyang mga pahayag. Sinabi niya na binigyan ako ng prangkisa na binenta ko, at wala po akong binentang prangkisa,” Leviste said.

(What she said is not true. She said I was given a franchise that I eventually sold, but I did not sell any company with a franchise.)

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla also earlier said that the Leviste-founded Solar Philippines and SPNEC are under probe for possibly skirting the law in their operations in the country. 

“Kung hindi mo nga nabenta iyong isa, pero gagawa ka naman ng subsidiary, baka naman pinaiikutan mo na iyong batas. It should be common sense to all of us that such situation should not happen. In any case, we are studying it,” Remulla said in a Thursday press conference.

(If you were not able to sell the mother company and you end up putting up a subsidiary [to sell], maybe you are manipulating the law.)

Leviste, however, maintained that he did not violate any law.

“I respect Ombudsman Remulla, but I don’t want to directly address his statements. I am just saying that the company I sold does not have a franchise [granted by law],” Leviste said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News