But Leviste says he’ll defer to DPWH chief in releasing list
Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste yesterday claimed that the list handed over to him by the recently deceased former Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” Cabral is a potential bombshell because it contains the names of more highly placed personalities who were not previously associated with anomalous flood control projects.
“The release of the files would have wide-ranging consequences. They list proponents of flood control and other Department of Public Works and Highways projects from the whole government – not only Congressmen and Senators, but also people from the Executive, including Secretaries and Undersecretaries outside DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways], as well as private individuals,” he said.
However, Leviste said in a social media post that he will only release the supposedly damning list with the permission of DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon.
“So as not to compromise my work in Congress, I would prefer that DPWH be the one to decide on releasing these files to the public,” the lawmaker explained.
Leviste recounted that Cabral handed him the documents on September 4, following instructions from Dizon, who personally directed her over the phone to release the files in the interest of transparency.
“Since then, many have asked for the late USec Cabral’s files to be released to the public. I will await the DPWH’s position on this, and I will do so if Sec Vince tells me to,” he noted.
Furthermore, the Batangas solon said that he already presented the files to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on November 18 and 19, and to the Office of the Ombudsman on November 26, with both bodies indicating that the documents would be useful in their investigations.
Leviste said his request for data on infrastructure budget allocations dates back to May.
He recounted meeting Cabral in her office on June 11 and formally following up with the DPWH on August 11.
“When she tendered her courtesy resignation, I worried that files might get lost, so I set a meeting at her office through Director Alex Bote on September 4,” he said.
Leviste credited Dizon for enabling access to the documents, saying it was due to the secretary’s push for transparency that the files were released to him.
Manila Standard sought to get Dizon’s reaction on the matter, but a reply was unavailable as of this writing.
Over the weekend, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon urged Leviste to immediately make public the list he claims was given to him by Cabral as early as September.
“My question to him (Leviste) is —It has been several months since the supposed document was provided to him. Why has he not disclosed it until today?” Ridon said at a media forum.
“The challenge to him [Leviste] is basically to disclose that list if he actually wants to honor the memory of former Usec. Cabral,” the party-list lawmaker added
