Palace: Ombudsman verifying authenticity of files with Leviste
Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. on Thursday said his office has no hand in budget listings after Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste claimed there was an “OP (ES/SAP)” tag in the so-called “Cabral list” that covered 75 projects worth at least P8 billion in the 2025 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In a statement, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo said the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP) is not an implementing agency and does not have the technical authority to identify, prioritize or execute public works projects.
“Any claim or insinuation suggesting otherwise is unfounded, false, and misleading,” Lagdameo said.
Lagdameo said invoking the name of the SAP to suggest influence, involvement, or endorsement where none exists is “improper, irresponsible, and must stop.”
“Overeagerness to exact accountability cannot justify recklessness,” he said, adding that the OSAP is prepared to cooperate with any inquiry conducted in the proper forum, grounded in evidence and guided by the constitutional principles of due process.
Malacañang, for its part, also urged the public to exercise caution regarding Leviste’s claims.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said while the documents’ authenticity is already under review by the Office of the Ombudsman, the emergence of conflicting versions highlights the risk of relying on unverified material.
“Stories without solid evidentiary support will remain mere rumors. Let us wait for the Office of the Ombudsman to speak on this,” Castro said.
Citing Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, Castro said documents “in the hands of private individuals that can be edited” cannot be considered conclusive evidence.
“When stories have no firm evidence to stand on, they remain speculation,” the Palace official said.
Leviste on Wednesday evening admitted he does not know who or what the “OP (ES/SAP)” tag refers to, noting that it may denote offices such as the Office of the President, the Executive Secretary, or the Special Assistant to the President rather than specific individuals.
The Batangas lawmaker said based on the files he has, about 60 percent of the projects under the “OP (ES/SAP)” tag involved flood control and slope protection works, while the remaining 40 percent consisted of street lighting projects.
“I shared this because other media reports have discussed this as well, so that the public can have a whole picture of the list and help them scrutinize the projects and other information that might help in investigations that our senators and congressmen may conduct in 2026,” he said in a Facebook post.
In a separate post yesterday, Leviste said he will “refrain from speaking for now, except on things I need to answer or I must say.”
“It’s good since there is still time to rest as Congress will resume session on January 26,” he added.
Earlier, former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin also denied Leviste’s claims, saying he “did not request, endorse, approve, or authorize any DPWH project or budget allocation at any stage of the budget process.”
“I am aghast and outraged at the insinuation that the tag ‘ES’ found in the so-called Cabral Files pertained to me as the then Executive Secretary to whom was allocated P8.3 billion worth of DPWH projects under the GAA 2025,” he said in a statement.
DPWH personnel also belied Leviste’s statement that the late public works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral gave him a copy of the list, saying the lawmaker forcibly took documents and copied files from her office.
Several public works personnel told GMA News that Cabral even sustained paper cuts and bled after Leviste allegedly took the documents from her hand.
The narrative of the DPWH matched the statement of DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon earlier who said Leviste appeared to be throwing his weight around when he went to Cabral’s office.
Dizon said that while he authorized the release of a copy of the legislative district breakdown for DPWH’s 2026 proposed budget, he did not approve the forcible taking of Cabral’s file.
“I authorized the release of the legislative district breakdown, absolutely. But (Leviste’s) stealing of files from the computer—that had no imprimatur. As for him struggling over papers with Cabral, that had no imprimatur. Why would I give that imprimatur?”
Dizon said the documents from Cabral’s office are already with the Office of the Ombudsman
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “OSAP rejects link to DPWH budget tags”
