DPWH engineer faces attempted bribery complaint
Metro Manila, Philippines - Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste filed a complaint against a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer on Tuesday, Aug. 26, for attempted bribery.
Leviste lodged complaints of direct bribery, corruption of public officials, and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials against engineer Abelardo Calalo at the Batangas Prosecutor’s Office.
Calalo — arrested in an entrapment on Aug. 22 — allegedly attempted to offer the lawmaker up to ₱360 million in kickback from infrastructure projects.
Leviste said Calalo told him that contractors in their district wanted to meet with him. The contractors allegedly could give five to 10 percent of the ₱3.6-billion infrastructure projects in the district to Leviste.
“Hindi nagkakaroon ng tunay na mga bidding sa DPWH projects sa unang distrito ng Batangas. Pinipili daw ng Congressman ang contractor na nagbibigay ng SOP (kickback),” Leviste said, noting that Calalo explained the system to him.
[Translation: There is no genuine bidding for DPWH projects in the first district of Batangas. The congressman purportedly chooses the contractor who gives kickback.]
Leviste urged Calalo and other DPWH employees to turn state witnesses on supposed corruption in the agency.
“Naniniwala rin po ako na ang taong nakakaalam tungkol sa mga mas malaking ‘di umano’y korapsyon sa mga proyekto ng DPWH ay walang iba kundi ang ating district engineer,” he said.
[Translation: I believe the person who knows about the alleged corruption in the DPWH project is our district engineet.]
The Senate has launched an investigation into alleged anomalous flood control projects.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong earlier claimed 67 congressmen received kickbacks from infrastructure projects for serving as contractors.
