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dizon leviste

Andrea Taguines

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon urged Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste on Thursday to reveal the names of people from his team who are supposedly meeting with contractors for kickbacks.</p><p>Leviste earlier questioned Dizon’s and his team’s possible ties to DPWH contractors.</p><p>During a press conference, Leviste claimed he has heard from multiple sources that there are members of Dizon’s team who are contractors themselves, while other members have already begun meeting contractors and making deals.</p><p>In response, Dizon said based on his knowledge of his chosen undersecretaries, which he previously described as his trusted men, none of them are contractors.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/7/leviste-urges-dpwh-to-reduce-project-costs-by-25-to-prevent-kickbacks-1822">Lawmaker urges DPWH to reduce project costs by 25 percent to prevent kickbacks</a></div><p>But he said he’s willing to meet in private with Leviste to get more information from the lawmaker. He also assured Leviste that he will conduct his own internal investigation.</p><p>“Sa pagkakalaam ko dito sa mga Undersecretaries na ating inaya, at hindi madaling mag-aya ng Undersecretary sa DPWH sa panahong ito, wala sa kanila ang contractor,” said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief..</p><p>“Handpicked ko talaga sila pero iimbestigahan ko sila. Titignan ko kung sino ba dyan ang posibleng either related, kumausap, kung anuman… But I would really appreciate if Cong. Leviste could give me more specifics. If possible, names and circumstances, and believe me I will act on it,” he added.</p><p>Dizon asserted that there will be consequences for those found to have dealings with contractors.</p><p>“Tingin ko walang ni isang tao sa DPWH na walang kilalang contractor kasi yun ang trabaho ng DPWH… Pero iba yung mga kinakausap, iba yung nanghihingi sa contractor. Kung merong mang nanghingi, hindi ko lang tatanggalin yan, kakasuhan pa natin yan,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CONFLICT OF INTEREST</strong></div><p>For his part, Dizon also denied any personal conflict of interest.</p><p>Despite knowing contractors from his time as Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and as Presidential Adviser for flagship projects during the Duterte administration, he insisted that no one has tried to speak with him since he came to lead the DPWH.</p><p>“Wala ako kilalang contractor. Wala akong kinausap na contractor apart sa mga iniimbestigahan ko,” he said.<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/16/dpwh-chief-dizon-on-discayas-backpedaling-pasensiyahan-tayo-1004">DPWH chief Dizon on Discayas&#x27; backpedaling: &#x27;Pasensiyahan tayo&#x27;</a></p><p>“When I say wala akong kilalang contractor, wala akong kaibigang contractor. Pero alam niyo naman nag-BCDA ako, nag-flagship project adviser ako, siyempre, construction lahat ng yun. Nagpagawa ako ng airport, nagpagawa ako sa New Clark City. Pero yung lahat ng kilala ko, hindi ko alam bakit, pero hindi pa nila ako nilalapitan,” he added.</p><p>Still, Dizon thanked Leviste for his “candor and straightforwardness” in bringing up the rumors he has been hearing.</p><p>Dizon said he hopes other lawmakers and the public would also not hesitate to come forward with similar information so it can be dealt with.</p><p>“Kasi ang mga tao sa gobyerno dapat naman talagang binubusisi e. Tama naman yun. Ine-encourage din natin ang lahat ng mga kababayan natin na kapag meron po kayong impormasyon tungkol sa kahit na sino na miyembro ng DPWH, whether dati nang nandito o yung mga bagong sinama ko, ako po ay magiging open na open at matutuwa ako sa kahit anong impormasyon na maibigay niyo sakin,” he said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>NO PROOF YET</strong></div><p>Leviste claimed the information he got was from “credible” and “multiple” sources, but he admitted it was verbal and no proof was given to him.</p><p>“I’ve heard talk, including in Congress, that Secretary Dizon and his team have connections with DPWH contractors, and that certain members of Sec. Dizon’s team are in fact contractors,“ Leviste said.</p><p>“Not only did one person tell me that... other members of the team have already been meeting with contractors outside of the DPWH at may hinihingi na raw,“ he added.</p><p>“If it is true that new appointees in DPWH have interests in companies that do business with DPWH, are we sure that there will be no conflict of interest in the awarding of contracts under the new leadership at DPWH? And why then was this not previously disclosed?“ Leviste noted.</p><p>“Disclose all of his and his team’s connections to DPWH contractor, and if he thinks there are still kickbacks in DPWH, and if he has ever discussed or been offered kickbacks, and if he could share this, so we can all work together to stop the practice of giving kickbacks,“ he urged Dizon.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/26/leviste-contractors-congressmen-tagged-in-dpwh-corruption-may-retaliate-vs-whistleblowers-2001">Leviste: Contractors, congressmen tagged in DPWH corruption may retaliate vs whistleblowers</a></div><p>In the middle of Leviste’s press conference, he received a phone call from someone supposedly from the DPWH.</p><p>“I really don’t know who’s the contractor in your team. But if you can ask them and come clean to the public, then that would I think be a sign that there is real change now in DPWH. I have not even been told who in your team is the contractor. I am just relaying what I heard,“ Leviste could be heard telling the caller.</p><p>The Batangas lawmakers told the media the caller gave assurances that the DPWH will search for the supposed contractors appointed to the agency.</p><p>“The response is kung mayroon man, tatanggalin nila. Of course there should not be contractors in the DPWH...  They’re saying they will search who among the new appointees is a contractor and remove them,“ Leviste said.</p><p>“If Secretary Dizon will lower (DPWH) project prices by 25%, I don’t even need to ask if he has any interest in DPWH contracts. Because anyone who will lower prices by 25% is showing that he is against kickbacks,“ he added.</p>

<p>Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has urged Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste on Thursday to reveal the names of people from his team who are supposedly meeting with contractors for kickbacks.</p>

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has urged Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste on Thursday to reveal the names of people from his team who are supposedly meeting with contractors for kickbacks.

Dizon urges Leviste to name DPWH execs with alleged ties to contractors

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Dizon urges Leviste to name DPWH execs with alleged ties to contractors

Andrea Taguines,

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 16, 2025 06:21 PM PHT

Read More:

Vince Dizon

Leandro Leviste

DPWH

Department of Public Works and Highways

Contractors

Flood control projects

Infrastructure projects

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