Leviste denies fellow lawmaker’s role in alleged contractor donations

Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste denied claims by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Abelardo Calalo that Rep. James “Jojo” Ang Jr. instructed him to deliver contractor donations on Leviste’s behalf.

“He never mentioned that once in my conversation with him. I can tell you with a straight eye in my meeting with him, he did not mention that once,” Leviste said, rejecting Calalo’s counter-affidavit that implicated Ang.

Calalo had alleged that the PHP 3.1 million he handed over came from a contractor at Ang’s instruction, but Leviste said this was an attempt to divert attention.

“At least he admitted getting donations from contractors,” Leviste said, pointing out that Calalo essentially confirmed the existence of contractor contributions.

Leviste presented a receipt showing three DPWH contracts worth PHP 104,230,000 awarded to Toptech Trading & Construction Co., Inc., noting the document listed “3 percent 3,126,900” alongside the total.

He said the projects were linked to contractor Elrey Jose C. Noche of Lemery, Batangas, who has since left the country.

Leviste claimed Calalo had also spoken of another contractor willing to give an initial PHP 15 million, in addition to several others who were prepared to extend “support.”

“To show that he is not covering up for contractors, [Calalo] can admit the long list of names of other contractors and proponents of projects whom he told me were also ready and willing to give support, and how contractors are selected for projects in the 1st District of Batangas,” Leviste said.

Calalo was earlier arrested on Leviste’s complaint but was released after posting bail of PHP 150,000, and later suspended by then-Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

In his counter-affidavit, Calalo alleged Leviste was “suddenly so eager” to take the donation, quoting him as saying, “Kunin mo na kahit maliit pa para masimulan na natin.”

Leviste denied this version of events, telling ANC, “He said that the contractors gusto magpadala ng suporta, and he mentioned– he was the one that mentioned na mayroon na siyang dala… I was shocked that he would be so open about discussing that.”

Calalo’s lawyer, Atty. Raymond Fortun, said his client only acted under pressure, claiming contractors saw him as “on his way out” for failing to cooperate with inquiries into anomalous projects.

Leviste warned against a possible “grand cover-up” of DPWH district engineers facing corruption allegations and urged accountability.

Calalo also alleged that Senator Loren Legarda, Leviste’s mother, asked him to “take care” of her projects in Batangas, but the congressman said such claims were meant to deflect from the core bribery issue.