MANILA, Philippines — There remains no clear confirmation on whether Rep. Leandro Leviste lawfully obtained or forcibly took copies of files detailing infrastructure budget proponents and district allocables, including from the late Public Works undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral’s legal counsel.
Cabral’s lawyer, Mae Divinagracia, said in interviews that Cabral never discussed with her—or during the Ombudsman’s fact-finding investigation—how Leviste acquired the documents he disclosed in December 2025. She only confirmed that Leviste had “obtained documents from her office,” without specifying whether Cabral personally gave them to him.
“These documents contain budget requests to the DPWH, notes from former Secretary Manuel Bonoan, names of some individuals who proposed amounts, and the district allocables,” Divinagracia said. She added that, for prudence, Cabral could not authenticate the documents until reviewing the copies in Leviste’s possession.
Leviste, however, claimed that Divinagracia’s use of “obtained” effectively means “given,” asserting that he received the files with the authorization of Usec. Cabral and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon. Dizon, for his part, denied authorizing or authenticating any document, stating he had not seen Leviste’s copy. Some staff have alleged that Leviste forcibly copied files from DPWH computers.
When asked if Cabral feared him, Leviste suggested the opposite, saying those with greater leverage over her might have feared the release of the documents. He maintained that claims he took the files forcibly were “untrue” and a diversion from the substantive information in the files.
Divinagracia clarified that her statements neither confirm that Leviste lawfully obtained the documents nor prove they were taken by force. She emphasized that only proper investigators can establish the facts rather than relying on a he-said, she-said narrative.
New details from Cabral’s counsel also emerged: some files contained the proponents in the DPWH budget, and Cabral had developed a parametric formula under Bonoan’s instruction to calculate district allocables. Divinagracia added that the House leadership had refused to fully comply with the formula, instead making adjustments reportedly sent by former Rep. Elizaldy Co’s office.
Cabral died on Dec. 19, 2025, after falling into a ravine along Kennon Road in Benguet. Following her death, government agencies have moved cautiously in authenticating the alleged “Cabral files” and in determining how Leviste obtained the copies.
