Metro Manila, Philippines – Neophyte lawmaker Leandro Leviste has accused a colleague of offering a partnership with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and do business with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for projects.
“Inalok ako ni Cong. Gardiola na mag-partner sa kanya at kay Secretary Recto sa pagne-negosyo sa DPWH sa aking distrito, sa sistema daw na ginagawa nila sa Lipa at ibang mga bayan: Tukuyin ang mga lugar para sa mga road opening, sabihan ko daw sila pag meron akong nakita para makasama sila sa bilihan ng lupa,” Leviste said in a privilege speech on Tuesday, May 5, referring to Construction Workers Solidarity (CWS) party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola.
[Translation: Cong. Gardiola offered me a partnership with him and Secretary Recto to engage in business dealings with the DPWH in my district, following the system they are using in Lipa and other towns: identify areas for “road openings”; inform them if I find any so they can join in purchasing the land.]
Leviste said Recto could help in funding projects as a Cabinet member and that Gardiola was supposedly influential in the DPWH.
Gardiola was among lawmakers identified by the then Independent Commission for Infrastructure as among Congress members with links to companies bagging infrastructure projects.
“Sa ibang pagkakataon, ipinagmamalaki din sa akin ni Secretary Recto na bago niya pinapapondohan sa DPWH ang mga bypass roads sa Lipa, kinokondisyon pa niya sa mga may-ari ng lupang dadaanan na magbigay sa kanya ng parte ng lupa sa mababang presyo,” Leviste said.
[Translation: On another occasion, Secretary Recto also boasted to me that before he has bypass road projects in Lipa funded by the DPWH, he first pressures the landowners whose properties will be affected to give him a portion of their land at a low price.]
In his speech, the Batangas lawmaker called on Congress to probe Gardiola’s ties with Recto despite what he called attacks against him.
He also challenged Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro to answer the accusations against the executive secretary.
‘Putting malice’
In a statement, Recto said Leviste has been putting malice on his connections with Gardiola.
“Ang totoo niyan, ang mga Gardiola ay matagal kong katunggali sa pulitika, naglaban kami sa maraming eleksyon, at nakasama ko lang siya noong 2022 bilang respeto sa isang kapwa Batangueño na congressman,” he said.
[Translation: The truth is, the Gardiolas have long been my political rivals—we’ve faced each other in many elections—and I only worked with him in 2022 out of respect for a fellow Batangueño congressman.]
Recto added that he has receipts for his projects in Batangas, maintaining that he does not have non-existent projects.
Ryan Recto, the executive secretary’s son and Batangas 6th district representative, defended his father at the plenary, saying the association was “purely professional”
“There are no personal interests involved, but only a shared commitment to fulfil their duties to their constituents. Walang katotohanan ang mga alegasyon ni Cong. Leviste na mayroon silang mga maanomalyang transaction. Fake news po ‘yan,” he said.
[Translation: There are no personal interests involved, but only a shared commitment to fulfill their duties to their constituents. Cong. Leviste’s allegation that they have anomalous transactions is not true. That is fake news.]
NewsWatch Plus has reached out to Gardiola.
