Metro Manila, Philippines – Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon rejected the allegations of neophyte lawmaker Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste that he had flood control insertions during his time as chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
“Any claims of ‘allocable’ or discretionary funding for such purposes are baseless and false,” the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
From 2016 to 2021, Dizon led the government-owned corporation tasked to transform former military bases and properties into economic growth centers.
He became transportation chief in February 2025 and was appointed as DPWH secretary six months later, when the flood control scandal blew up.
In a Facebook post on Dec. 29, Leviste claimed that a whistleblower gave him information on the supposed “allocables” and budget insertions of Dizon and an alleged BCDA flood control project.
In a statement on Dec. 30, the BCDA dismissed the allegations, saying it does not have flood control projects funded through insertions or allocable funds.
“All projects are financed only through approved government programs, released through the National Treasury, implemented under the General Appropriations Act, and governed by procurement laws and Commission on Audit rules,” the agency said.
The BCDA added that its records are “complete, traceable, and auditable, with project funding, approvals, procurement, and disbursements accessible to oversight institutions.”
“BCDA enforces zero tolerance for corruption through strict compliance with the law, multi-layered legal and audit review, standardized frameworks that limit discretion, and close coordination with oversight bodies, and welcomes fact-based review and investigation,” it said.
Leviste has been releasing unverified documents since the death of former DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral, a key figure in the flood control corruption investigation.
Among the documents he publicized are the supposed legislative breakdown of the 2023 to 2026 DPWH budgets, as well as the “allocables” or discretionary funds assigned to each congressional district – which former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo dubbed as the new pork barrel.
A camera footage obtained by NewsWatch Plus showed Leviste and Cabral meeting in the latter’s office on Sept. 4.
The DPWH turned over the computer and files attached to Cabral on Dec. 23 to the ombudsman, subject for examination.
