Marilyn Cahatol

1st District of Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste speaks to the members of the press after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2026 national budget during a plenary session on Monday, December 29, 2025.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

REP. LEANDRO LEVISTE

Andrea Taguines

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/176699767259320251229-20th-congress-leviste-MT15.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="1st District of Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste speaks to the members of the press after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2026 national budget during a plenary session on Monday, December 29, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN New "/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">1st District of Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste speaks to the members of the press after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2026 national budget during a plenary session on Monday, December 29, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN New </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Malacañang continued to cast doubt on the credibility and on how Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste got a hold of the so-called &quot;Cabral files&quot;, which refers to the summary of questionable allocations per legislative district in the 2025 budget as allegedly recorded by the late Public Works Undersecretary for Planning, Maria Catalina Cabral.</p><p>According to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, even Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has neither seen nor authenticated the documents, despite Leviste claiming it was Dizon who had instructed Cabral to give him a copy back in September.</p><p>“Sabi po kasi ni Sec. Vince, hindi niya nakikita yung dokumentong tinutumbok ni Congressman Leviste so kung ano man yung Cabral files na ito, hindi po aware si Sec. Vince kung ano ito,” Castro told DZMM Teleradyo.</p><p>Castro noted that even in the email exchange and letters that Leviste posted on social media, it can be seen that what Leviste requested for and received from the DPWH, under the leadership of Dizon, were budget-related files for 2026.</p><p>“What was given to him or what was allowed to him to be given by Secretary Vince ay yung 2026 proposed budget, not the 2025 budget list,” she said.</p><p>She also pointed out that in the publicized October 1 email of Leviste to Dizon, Leviste said it was former DPWH Chief Manuel Bonoan who handed the files to him and not Cabral.</p><p>“So hindi namin alam kung saan nanggagaling yung sinasabi niya. Siguro dapat mas linawan niya pa kasi nag-iiba po yung kwento e, kung sino nagbigay talaga ng dokumento— Secretary bonoan, Usec Cabral, when in fact sa email na October 1, 2025, never na-mention yung pangalan ni Usec. Cabral,” added Castro.</p><p>In response, Leviste told ABS-CBN News in a Viber message that he mentioned Bonoan’s name in the email because the former Public Works Secretary had earlier shown him a copy of the allocables list but did not give him a copy of it, which is why he sought out Cabral.</p><p>He also stood by his earlier claim that he got the actual files from Cabral, as authorized by Dizon.</p><p>“Secretary Bonoan used to bring around a printed copy of this file, so he once showed me a hard copy he had with him when I asked about the budget per district, but did not let me keep the copy. That&#x27;s actually why I kept on requesting data and wrote to them on August 11,” explained Leviste.</p><p>“Sec Vince came in on September 1, and on September 4 when I met USec. Cabral he authorized the files to be given to me. (So, Sec Bonoan previously showed me a hard copy, which I mention because it&#x27;s why I knew this was an authentic file in the possession of multiple people in DPWH),” he added.</p><p>ABS-CBN News has repeatedly sought the comment of Dizon himself on the issue but he has not responded as of writing.</p><p>Although in a previous interview, he acknowledged the existence of a list of allocables per legislative district, copies of which, he said, have been submitted to investigative bodies. He also admitted that it was a budgeting formula that should and will definitely be scrapped under his watch.</p><p>“Lahat naman nung list nung mga allocables binigay na natin yan sa Senate, binigay natin sa House, binigay natin sa ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure),” said Dizon.</p><p>“By January, sinabihan na kami ni PBBM na baguhin yung formulang yun kasi, clearly, number 1, hindi siya nagiging equitable. And pangalawa is kailangan talagang ayusin na natin based on need and based on equity. Ibig sabihin yung mga mas nangangailangan, dapat sila yung nakakakuha ng mas malaking pondo sa DPWH,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/29/ombudsman-says-leviste-did-not-provide-complete-cabral-files-1208">Ombudsman says Leviste did not provide complete ‘Cabral files’</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>&#x27;HINDI PWEDENG HINDI PAUWIIN SI BONOAN&#x27;</strong></div><p>For ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio, he believes the Cabral files released by Leviste seem credible.</p><p>“Generally the contents of the files are credible. And I say this because it’s not only Congressman Leviste who has spoken about the files. We also heard, for example, Sen. Lacson, say similar things, as well as from other media outlets… And more or less they corroborate the contents are corroborated by these different sources,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.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><p>But since Cabral is no longer around to vouch for them herself, Tinio said it becomes all the more crucial that Bonoan returns to the Philippines for questioning.</p><p>“Yes, wala na si Usec. Cabral pero nandyan pa si Secretary Manny Bonoan. Although nasa labas siya ng bansa. Hindi rin pinapauwi. Sa totoo lang, mas marami pa siyang alam kaysa kay Usec. Cabral dahil siya ang Secretary so walang anumang proyekto o di kaya pondo na gagalaw sa DPWH kung hindi pinipirmahan ni Secretary Bonoan,” said Tinio.</p><p>“If you really want to get to the bottom of this, hindi pwedeng hindi pauwiin si Bonoan para pasagutin,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/31/manuel-bonoan-resigns-as-dpwh-secretary-1633">Bonoan out, Dizon in as new acting DPWH secretary amid flood control fiasco</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong><strong></strong><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nBic8k09LLQ?si=CNvNkpVsLbPvfZZ9" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p> Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has neither seen nor authenticated the alleged Cabral documents, despite Leviste claiming Dizon instructed Cabral to give him a copy back in September.</p>

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has neither seen nor authenticated the alleged Cabral documents, despite Leviste claiming Dizon instructed Cabral to give him a copy back in September.

Palace: DPWH gave Leviste 2026 proposed budget, not 2025 list of alleged 'allocables'

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Palace: DPWH gave Leviste 2026 proposed budget, not 2025 list of alleged 'allocables'

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 29, 2025 04:49 PM PHT

Read More:

Cabral files

Claire Castro

Leandro Leviste

DPWH

flood control corruption

allocables

budget insertions

Vince Dizon

Usec Maria Catalina Cabral

Manuel Bonoan

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