Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Friday, December 26, rejected Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste’s call for her to help substantiate the alleged “Cabral files” supposedly linking Cabinet officials to infrastructure budget insertions.
Castro said Malacañang is under no obligation to verify claims raised by Leviste, stressing that the burden of proof lies with the accuser.
“Why should this representation prove the alleged ‘Cabral’s files’ he claims to possess?” Castro said in a statement.
“He has started bragging about them, so it is his responsibility to prove their authenticity. Why should he shift his responsibility to others?”
She warned that the Palace has no way of determining whether the documents being cited are even legitimate, noting they could have been altered or fabricated.
“We are not even aware if what he is in possession of are mere altered or fabricated documents. Before anyone speaks and accuses someone, they should substantiate their claims with verified facts and documents,” she said.
Castro also pushed back against what she described as an attempt to compel Malacañang to authenticate unproven allegations.
“Sarili niyang alegasyon ang mga iyan, huwag niyang iutos o iobliga sa iba ang pagpapatotoo sa mga sinasabi niya,” she said.
Malacañang has repeatedly dismissed allegations that Cabinet officials were behind infrastructure budget insertions, maintaining these claims are hearsay and lack probative value.