(UPDATE) THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has placed under preventive suspension Batangas 1st District engineer Abelardo Calalo following reports of his arrest for allegedly trying to bribe Batangas Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste, son of Sen. Loren Legarda.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan on Monday said that he immediately issued the preventive suspension order after he received the confirmatory report of Calalo’s alleged attempt to bribe the neophyte congressman.
“I already issued the order placing him under preventive suspension,” Bonoan said as he warned other DPWH engineers against any kind of illegal acts in connection with their jobs.
Bonoan advised all other unscrupulous DPWH engineers to be very careful because he will not hesitate to file administrative and criminal cases against them.
“I will spare no one. Be like [Calalo] and see where that will lead you,” Bonoan said.
The DPWH chief said that he also ordered a reshuffle in the First Engineering District of Batangas and the submission of a detailed report of the projects being undertaken by that office and other related circumstances in connection with the alleged bribery attempt.
Reports from the Batangas police said Calalo was arrested on Friday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m. receiving a call from the staff of Leviste.
Found in Calalo’s possession was the alleged initial P3.6 million bribe money.
Calalo is detained at the Taal Municipal Police Station after his arrest on Friday night until today, Monday, a holiday.
He would only be able to post bail at the earliest on Tuesday.
The suspect faces charges for possible violation of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Lacson salutes Leviste
Sen. Panfilo Lacson lauded Leviste for the entrapment of the district engineer.
“My snappy salute to neophyte Cong. Leandro Leviste, Batangas First District for the successful police entrapment operation against a corrupt DPWH district engineer who tried to bribe him with up to P360 million in ‘kickbacks’ from infra projects in his district. May his tribe increase,” Lacson posted on X on Sunday night.
The entrapment operation against Calalo took place in Poblacion Taal.
Citing information he received, Lacson said the P3.6 million cash that Calalo brought was supposedly an initial payment, to be followed by another P15 million.
Lacson also responded to an online comment that said the amount would not matter to Leviste because of his wealth, saying his integrity and idealism were more important.
“I don’t think it is about his wealth; it’s his integrity and idealism. An inspiration for all the neophyte congressmen to emulate,” he said.
Lacson said Leviste should be watchful and “not underestimate evil” after he spoiled a bribery attempt to dissuade him from probing tainted flood-control projects.
The senator said he informed Legarda about Leviste’s “unusual feat as a neophyte congressman.”
Lacson said he advised Legarda “that her son must always mind his security since billions of public funds are involved or at stake in a game he’s in and that he cannot underestimate evil.”
“She sounded very worried for her son’s physical safety and security,” Lacson said in a statement on Monday.
He said Legarda told him that sometime ago, Leandro wanted to meet him to get some mentoring on how to spot and investigate anomalous projects.
Leviste defeated Rep. Eric Buhain in the midterm elections last May with 268,764 votes against the latter’s 91,588 votes.
Legarda said her son “recorded the highest number of votes received by a candidate for the House of Representatives in the history of Batangas.”
Legarda earlier said Leviste’s constituents would “enjoy an effective brand of public service.”
Leviste ran under the platform of improving the 1st District’s local economy, considered as the most underdeveloped in the province, which comprises the towns of Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Tuy, Balayan, Lemery, Taal, and the city of Calaca.
Lacson earlier pointed out that the DPWH alone received some P1.9 trillion in appropriations for flood-control projects since 2011, but failed to stop flooding.
He estimated half of the amount may have been lost to corruption.
“For the past 15 years, this corruption worsened because those involved saw how easy it was to get away. As I said, it was a piece of cake for them, so they went all-out on corruption,” he said.
LGU support
Meanwhile, the League of Cities of the Philippines voiced strong support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to involve local government units (LGUs) in planning and implementing national government-funded projects on Monday, Aug. 25.
The league said the move is key to reducing inefficiencies in large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly those handled by the DPWH.
It added that engaging LGUs ensures better project execution, optimal resource use, and improved public service delivery.
“National government agencies can count on cities’ support — as a source of local knowledge, facilitator of stakeholder consultations, and partner in monitoring government projects,” the league said.
The group also emphasized that its commitment to responsible spending aims to create lasting impact and strengthen public trust.
It called on cities to serve as “true agents of transformative change” for the benefit of the Filipino people, highlighting collective action as essential to project success.
WITH JAMES DANIEL DANIO
