Jamaine Punzalan

Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral attends a probe into flood control programs nationwide, called by the House of Representatives Infrastructure Committee (InfraComm) in Quezon City on September 9, 2025. House of Representatives

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Kaxandra Salonga

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766980968183Screenshot 2025-12-29 at 12.02.29 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral attends a probe into flood control programs nationwide, September 9, 2025. House of Representatives</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday said Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste did not provide them with complete <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/25/leviste-shares-summary-of-alleged-p3-5-t-dpwh-district-allocations-for-2023-2026-1823">“Cabral files”</a> despite being asked to do so. </p><p>In a video statement, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said their office had approached Leviste regarding the files before former Department Of Public Works And Highways (DPWH) Cathy Cabral’s death.</p><p>“After Congressman Leandro Leviste publicly claimed to possess the complete list in the supposed Cabral files, investigators from the office of the Ombudsman approached him as a matter of prudence and diligence while the former undersecretary Cathy Cabral was still alive and was actually represented by counsel during that time,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/news/nation/2025/12/27/lacson-cabral-files-tagged-5-cabinet-secretaries-with-billions-in-allocables-in-2025-budget-1832">Lacson: &#x27;Cabral files&#x27; tagged 5 Cabinet secretaries with billions in &#x27;allocables&#x27; in 2025 budget</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/28/-outraged-bersamin-denies-having-allocables-in-2025-budget-2253">‘Outraged’ Bersamin denies having ‘allocables’ in 2025 budget</a></div><p>Clavano said Leviste presented limited portions of the list, in contrast to the congressman’s statements suggesting that the full Cabral files had already been shown to or reviewed by the Ombudsman.</p><p>“During this engagement, Congressman Leviste presented only limited portions of the list responsive in fairness to specific inquiries but he did not present the entire set of files he claimed to possess even when asked to do so,” Clavano said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/25/leviste-shares-summary-of-alleged-p3-5-t-dpwh-district-allocations-for-2023-2026-1823">Leviste shares summary of alleged P3.5-T DPWH district allocations for 2023–2026</a></div><p>The Assistant Ombudsman said they have also been approached by multiple sources claiming to possess copies of the supposed Cabral files.</p><p>However, Clavano said that soft copies of documents held by third parties inherently lose evidentiary credibility as they are susceptible to alteration, incomplete context, or manipulation.</p><p>“As such, these materials cannot by themselves, be treated as conclusive evidence,” Clavano said.</p><p>“The best and most reliable source of documents are actually the agencies and individuals who have custody, who had control or even ownership of the computers, storage devices and even the files themselves,” he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/23/dpwh-surrenders-computer-files-of-cathy-cabral-to-ombudsman-1304">DPWH surrenders computer, files of Cathy Cabral to Ombudsman</a></div><p>Clavano said the office would conduct a digital forensic examination of Cabral’s computer CPU under their custody in coordination with the Commission on Audit (COA), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the police Anti-Cybercrime Group.</p><p>“The Office considers this a critical development as it allows the investigation to proceed on the basis of an original digital piece of evidence,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/26/it-is-leviste-s-responsibility-to-prove-authenticity-of-cabral-files-malaca-ang-1521">It is Leviste’s ‘responsibility to prove authenticity’ of ‘Cabral files’ — Malacañang</a></div><p>Clavano also clarified that the Cabral files were only “one part of the investigation.”</p><p>“Alleged insertions that are supposedly in these files still need to be carefully examined to determine whether these projects were actually implemented or if they turned out to be ghost projects,” Clavano said.</p><p>“An insertion by itself is not automatically illegal. It will only become criminal if it is proven to improve fraud, misuse of public funds, or non-existent projects,” he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/19/who-was-catalina-cabral-and-how-could-her-death-affect-flood-control-probe-1455">Who was Cathy Cabral, and how could her death affect flood control probe?</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>LEVISTE REJECTS OMBUDSMAN CLAIM</strong></div><p>But Leviste disputed the Ombudsman’s statement.  </p><p>The Batangas solon posted on his social media account a photo of his November 26 meeting with an Ombudsman field investigating team, which he noted did not include Clavano.   </p><p>“I would like to correct his statement that I ‘did not present the entire set of files he claimed to possess even when asked to do so.’ Their team members in our meeting are listed below, and Assistant Ombudsman Clavano was not part of it, so it would be best for the people in the meetings to speak for themselves,” Leviste said in a statement posted on his social media account.</p><p>He said he “presented the Ombudsman both the DPWH summary and Excel spreadsheet of the 2025 NEP during our meeting, which was from around 9:10M to 12PM.” </p><p>“I invited the team of the team Ombudsman to go through the file further, but they did not seem too interested: Their questions to me during our meeting were more about projects linked to Congressman Edwin Gardiola (the agenda of our meeting as per their letter, attached), and I was the one showing them the file which I said would be helpful for all their investigations, and the team was more focused on their assignment to build a case on Congressman Gardiola,” Leviste said. </p><p>“We invited them to come back another time but they did not get back to us after this meeting. The meeting was actually initially postponed, but in fact I asked that we keep it on the scheduled date, because I wanted to help the Ombudsman’s investigations as much as I could,” he added.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flingkodlegardaleviste%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0kkXqJBEvtoC2gqytykYEvFtVouCjdzgUJ1cL7bYXQCLWk927D5KoiJcoZyCDBPkKl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="780" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Leviste suggested the Office of the Ombudsman can just compare the copies that multiple sources obtained separately.</p><p>“On Assistant Ombudsman Clavano&#x27;s point on the potential alteration of files: I believe the simple solution would be to compare… Instead of focusing solely on my files, I agree that it would be better if we compare your copy, my copy, and the copies separately obtained by others like Senator Lacson at the soonest possible time,” the lawmaker said.</p><p>He urged members of the Ombudsman, the DPWH, and other agencies conducting investigations on DPWH projects to “disclose any relationships or potential conflicts they may have with individuals that are currently being investigated, in the interest of transparency”.</p><p>“So that the disclosure on a relationship of a certain individual named here is volunteered and does not come from me,” Leviste said.</p><p>In a separate interview, Leviste said the volunteered to show the files to the Ombudsman&#x27;s investigating team.</p><p>&quot;Ang mga myembro ng kanyang team ay siguro naman magsasabi ng katotohanan na ako pa ang nagvolunteer sa kanila ng mga files ni yumaong Usec. Cabral. Hindi nga po nila hiningi. Ipinakita ko sa kanila,&quot; he said.</p><p>Asked if he presented the complete files, the lawmaker answered: &quot;Ipinakita ko po more than what they asked for.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Dahil hindi nga po hiningi sa akin ng Ombudsman… Hindi nga sila interesado noon na mag-spend more time pa on the files. Iniimbita ko nga sila na maghapon kami magstudy ng files na ito. Pero may assignmment po kasi sila noon na imbestigahan ang mga proyekto ni Cong. Gardiola. Kaya sila lumapit sa akin,&quot; he added.</p><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><iframe width="830" height="467" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4kB_Q39SMMo" title="Rep. Leviste releases unverified &#x27;Cabral files&#x27; | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="729" height="410" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EQ9qXWpZnrM" title="Leviste mangiyak-ngiyak, sinabing ginipit daw siya para &#x27;di ilabas ang &#x27;Cabral files&#x27; | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday said Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste did not provide them with complete “Cabral files” despite being asked to do so.</p>

The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday said Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste did not provide them with complete “Cabral files” despite being asked to do so.

Ombudsman says Leviste did not provide complete ‘Cabral files’

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Ombudsman says Leviste did not provide complete ‘Cabral files’

Kaxandra Salonga,

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 29, 2025 12:08 PM PHT

|

Updated December 29, 2025 03:49 PM PHT

Read More:

Ombudsman

Cabral

cabral files

insertions

Leandro Leviste

DPWH

corruption

flood control

baha

budget insertions

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