Claire Castro seeks P500M in damages from Leviste

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro on Monday confirmed she is seeking P500 million in damages from Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste, accusing the lawmaker of damaging her integrity in connection with the libel case he filed against her.

“Okay, P500 million in damages. It is part of my compulsory counterclaim, as I believe that some facts in the complaint were twisted, and it ruined my integrity as Palace Press Officer,” Castro said during a briefing.

“I believe that I deserve and am entitled to such damages,” she added.

Castro was referring to the libel suit earlier filed by Leviste before the Balayan Regional Trial Court, in which he is seeking P110 million.

The lawmaker said he filed the complaint over “libelous statements” allegedly made by Castro, as he denied claims that he sold a company holding a franchise.

Responding to Castro’s countersuit on Monday, Leviste, in a statement, challenged the Palace official to prove that she was experiencing “sleepless nights and anxiety.”

“Mabuti kung maglabas ng medical certificate ang doktor ni USec Claire Castro na talagang dumaranas siya ng ‘sleepless nights and anxiety,’ para malaman kung anong paggamot ang sasagutin natin para sa kanya, kahit wala akong obligasyon sa kanya,” Leviste said.

(She should present a medical certificate proving that she is suffering from sleepless nights and anxiety, so we can determine what treatment we might cover for her—even if I have no obligation to do so.)

Leviste maintained that his actions were aimed at ensuring that public officials like Castro are properly serving the public.

“Dagdag ko: Interesado ang taumbayan na malaman ang kalagayan ng kalusugan ng mga kawani ng gobyerno at kilatisin ang kanilang trabaho—lalo na’t ₱2.46 bilyon ang 2026 budget ng PCO ni USec Claire, at si Acting Secretary Dave Gomez ay hindi pa nakukumpirma ng Commission on Appointments,” he said.

(The public has an interest in knowing the health condition of government officials and scrutinizing their performance—especially given the Presidential Communications Office’s ₱2.46-billion budget for 2026, and that Acting Secretary Dave Gomez has yet to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.)—MCG, GMA Integrated News