Leviste may face House ethics case over Cabral files

Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste could end up facing an ethics complaint in the House of Representatives over his alleged unlawful acquisition of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget files from the late former undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.

- By ELLSON QUISMORIO

Thus, said Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon on Tuesday, Dec. 30, in reaction to a television news report that supposedly exposed how Leviste forcibly gained possession of the so-called “Cabral files”.

“From the very beginning, Rep. Leviste has insisted that he had full authority from DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to acquire relevant documents from former DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral. It is on this supposed authority that the credibility of his entire disclosures is built,” Ridon said. “However, this supposed authority has been flatly rejected by Secretary Dizon himself. What is unraveling today is not the acquisition of the Cabral files based on official authority, but the acquisition of documents based on an unlawful taking by Rep. Leviste," noted the lawyer-solon.

Did Leviste illegally obtain Cabral files?

In the TV news report, a staff member of Cabral accused Leviste of illegally obtaining and copying the budget documents, allegedly upon the instruction of Dizon.

The staff of Cabral reportedly said Leviste had demanded budget-related information and became impatient while waiting for documents.