Reforming the power of the purse

For someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so to speak, Batangas first congressional district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste entered politics as a self-made billionaire. At 32 years old, Rep. Leviste proudly stands out as among the most independent, highly articulate and intelligent neophyte lawmakers crossing words with veteran and traditional politicians in the halls of the 20th Congress.

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

Leviste grew up with and was nurtured by politicians in his family. After all, he is the younger of the two sons of Sen. Loren Legarda and estranged husband, former Batangas governor Antonio Leviste. He ran and won as an independent candidate. When he joined the 20th Congress, Rep. Leviste reported a net worth of P34 billion in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) as of last year. “Our SALNs are based on cost of acquisition and not market value. P34 B is approximately what Meralco paid for my company,” Leviste cited.

Featured guest at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum last Wednesday, Leviste demonstrated his fine flair in politics, in stark contrast to his elders in Congress, against some of whom he has earned their personal wrath. Leviste delivered no-holds-barred public disclosures on the alleged abuses and excesses of his colleagues in Congress in the exercise of their so-called powers of the purse in taking advantage of the systemic weaknesses of the budget process.

Leviste launched his advocacy for budget reforms starting with “congressional insertions” into the flood control and other infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). It was not by choice but based on his firsthand experience with the flood control projects. Leviste denounced at a press conference in August about the alleged “offer” to him by DPWH engineer Aberlardo Calalo.

Calalo was arrested in an entrapment operation. But he subsequently denied the bribe attempt and claimed he was only offering donations. Leviste countered this by releasing a crumpled document showing a “three percent” cut of P104 million in project cost, which totaled approximately P3.1 million.