Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste denied allegations by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that he forcibly and “illegally” obtained the so-called “Cabral Files.”
“I vehemently deny that I illegally obtained the files,” Leviste said, explaining that “Secretary Vince said on the phone and there many other people that overheard the speaker phone conversation that he authorizes Usec. Cabral to give all the files to me in the interest of transparency.”
The lawmaker questioned the timing of the DPWH’s statement, saying, “And as I said earlier, it is suspect that they’re only saying this months after seemingly the public can see they don’t want the files released to the public.”
Leviste noted that the Office of the Ombudsman has yet to make the files public despite receiving them on December 23.
“I also want to clarify to your viewers that I was saying to the public since November that I had these files and the DPWH wasn’t raising any issues with it then,” he said.
He added, “I was also asking for the files to be preserved for Usec. Cabral to be protected and made as state witness.”
Leviste expressed hope that the truth will eventually be revealed, stressing that many already have copies of the late Cabral’s files.
“It’s unfortunate that it wasn’t taken then. But I do hope that truth will come out because many other people also have the files,” he said.
The congressman urged the public to focus on the contents of the files rather than on him.
“This is important for your viewers to know it’s not just me, so the focus shouldn’t be on me. It should be on the contents of those files out to the public,” he concluded.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon earlier dismissed Leviste’s accusations of budget “insertions” or “allocables” as “baseless and malicious.”