Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — More House members are denying having received a P2-million Christmas bonus as alleged by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste.Lanao Del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong described the allegation as “not only unfair” but also disingenuous and a &quot;misrepresentation&quot; of what he said was funding for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) and not a bonus.“He was claiming na may bonus but the checks that he provided to the media were actually in the operational expenses for his district and his salary. They are not bonuses,” Adiong told reporters on Friday. Leviste said the release of the so-called bonus coincided with the week the House of Representatives ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the 2026 budget, which was also the last week of the year.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/29/leviste-claims-some-congressmen-received-p2-m-christmas-bonus-1849">Leviste claims some congressmen received P2-M &#x27;Christmas bonus&#x27;; House leaders deny</a></div>ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio made it clear that he neither received the supposed bonus nor did it influence his vote on the budget bill — members of the Makabayan bloc voted against it.“Most definitely ang boto natin ay hindi naimpluwensiyahan ng anumang mga incentives or pressure,” Tinio told the media.Other House lawmakers such as House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Mikaela Suansing of Nueva Ecija and House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno of Antipolo also earlier rejected Leviste’s accusations.Adiong stressed lawmakers need the MOOE, which Leviste called a bonus.“Apart from the regular work that the office do, ‘yung mga clerical, ‘yung pagbabayad ng kuryente, pagbabayad ng ilaw… So I don&#x27;t know how he ran his district office. If he does not want the MOOE and if he does not want to run his district office because I believe he&#x27;s a billionaire, he does not need that kind of money, so be it,” Adiong said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/26/leviste-claims-dpwh-official-offered-extra-funds-after-he-questioned-budget-system-2035">Leviste claims DPWH official offered &#x27;extra funds&#x27; after he questioned budget system</a></div>Adiong added, he would not be surprised if Leviste loses his position as vice chairperson of some House committees given his recent statements.Leviste is vice chairperson of the Committees on Appropriations, Ways and Means, Basic Education and Culture, and Economic Affairs.

More House members are denying having received a P2-million Christmas bonus as alleged by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste.

More House members are denying having received a P2-million Christmas bonus as alleged by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste.

‘Unfair, misrepresentation’: More House members reject Leviste’s allegation of P2-M Christmas bonus

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‘Unfair, misrepresentation’: More House members reject Leviste’s allegation of P2-M Christmas bonus

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 02, 2026 07:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Christmas bonus

House of Representatives

Leandro Leviste

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