Metro Manila, Philippines – Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into about ₱8 billion worth of infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that were allegedly tagged to “OP (ES/SAP)” in budget documents for 2025.
In a Facebook post, Leviste questioned who was behind the funding of the projects, including a ₱300-million streetlight project along the Tagaytay–Nasugbu Highway in Batangas’ first district, which he said showed indications of severe overpricing.
Leviste said he had seen copies of files attributed to the late DPWH undersecretary Cabral, which listed 75 projects amounting to ₱8 billion under the tag “OP (ES/SAP).” He clarified that the tag could refer to offices rather than specific individuals, noting that the acronyms resemble Office of the President (OP), Executive Secretary (ES), and Special Assistant to the President (SAP).
He said several individuals already possess copies of the same files.
Earlier reports suggested that the projects were linked to the Executive Secretary, but Leviste said this was unlikely. He said he reached out to the camp of former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who denied any involvement and instead called for a full investigation.
“I respectfully call on all investigative bodies to place this matter at the top of their agenda. This matter strikes directly at the integrity of the national budget itself and must be fully investigated without delay,” Bersamin said in a statement.
Leviste said the streetlight project in his district is real and already completed, but raised concerns over its cost, estimating that each streetlight was priced at about ₱230,000, roughly five times higher than the usual cost.
He added that about 60% of the ₱8 billion was allocated to flood control and slope protection projects, while the remaining 40% covered roads and streetlights, arguing that many of these were not priority projects and may have benefited only a few.
Leviste said lawmakers in both chambers should take the lead in uncovering who authorized the projects.
“Hindi po pwedeng biglang may mga maanomalyang ₱8B proyekto na sumusulpot at hindi natin maipaliwanag kung bakit nasa loob siya ng ating budget,” he said.
[Translation: There cannot suddenly be anomalous ₱8-billion projects that appear without any clear explanation as to why they are included in our national budget.]
In a separate statement, Bersamin said he was “aghast and outraged” by insinuations linking him to the projects, stressing that he never requested, endorsed, approved, or authorized any DPWH allocation during the budget process. He said he is willing to cooperate with any investigation.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said the President Bongbong Marcos supports continued investigations, stressing that any Cabinet member found involved and backed by evidence must be held accountable, regardless of position.
The Palace said the matter is now in the hands of investigative bodies such as the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice.
Leviste urged the DPWH to release the complete set of documents to the public to dispel speculation and allow independent scrutiny, saying transparency is key to restoring public trust in the national budget process.
