A Batangas lawmaker took a two-pronged stand on Tuesday, June 30 — first by formally lodging a resolution calling on the House of Representatives to reopen its dormant inquiry into alleged corruption in public flood control works, then by stepping out to join demonstrators gathered at the EDSA People Power Monument in a show of solidarity with those demanding government accountability.
Batangas First District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste filed House Resolution No. 1169, which was officially received by the House Bills and Index Service at 11:24 a.m. on June 30, according to official House records. The measure urges the House Infrastructure Committee — or, in the alternative, the Committees on Public Accounts, Public Works and Highways, and Good Government and Public Accountability — to pick up where the suspended hearings left off and conduct a full legislative inquiry into how the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been implementing its projects.
How the Hearings Came to a Halt
The House Infrastructure Committee launched its initial probe into anomalous DPWH flood control projects during hearings held in August and September 2025. Those proceedings were abruptly suspended on September 24, 2025, to make room for the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which was given the mandate to look into the same concerns.
However, as Leviste noted in his resolution, the ICI concluded its operations on March 31, 2026. With that body no longer functional and no successor institution approved to replace it, the lawmaker argued that the original justification for pausing the House inquiry no longer holds. Leviste further stressed that legislative efforts to institutionalize a successor body have stalled, leaving a significant gap in oversight that only Congress is positioned to address.
Key Evidence Still Waiting to Be Examined
Among the most pressing concerns raised by the resolution is the volume of evidence that has yet to be placed before Congress. Leviste pointed specifically to documents originating from the office of the late DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, as well as testimonies from former military officials, none of which have been formally examined in a congressional setting.
The lawmaker also drew attention to statements made by former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who reportedly claimed that “almost 100%” of bids processed at the agency were rigged. Despite the gravity of this allegation, Leviste said the cases filed to date have been confined to a relatively narrow set of offices — chiefly the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office and the MIMAROPA Regional Office — leaving the broader agency largely unscrutinised.
Bonoan and Bernardo Set to Turn State Witnesses
Leviste also cited a development from the Office of the Ombudsman, which announced on June 29 that former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan is being positioned to serve as a state witness, alongside former Undersecretary Bernardo. According to the lawmaker’s resolution, both officials are expected to shed new light on the depth and breadth of corruption within the department, making their prospective testimonies a compelling reason to resume the congressional inquiry without further delay.
Lacson’s Disclosure and the Senate’s Role
The resolution also invoked a disclosure by Senator Panfilo Lacson, who revealed that documents from the late Undersecretary Cabral implicate “at least five Cabinet secretaries and some undersecretaries” as having received allocables and/or non-allocables. Leviste noted that the Senate has already moved forward with its own Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on the matter, and argued that the House has an equally compelling obligation to pursue its independent investigation.
In his filing, Leviste underscored that an active, independent legislature is fundamental to the constitutional principle of checks and balances. He warned that allowing the House to cede its investigative function entirely to executive-branch bodies or the Senate would undermine the institution’s constitutional role.
Inquiry Will Not Derail Ombudsman Cases or Ongoing Reforms
Addressing potential concerns about overlap or interference, Leviste clarified in his resolution that the proposed legislative inquiry would not compromise cases currently pending before the Ombudsman or the Sandiganbayan. Nor would it disrupt the internal reforms being carried out within the DPWH under its new leadership.
On the contrary, Leviste argued that further congressional investigation is necessary precisely to give those reforms a durable legal foundation. He cited changes already introduced under the 2026 General Appropriations Act and initiatives undertaken by DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon as examples of reforms that would benefit from being codified into law through the legislative process.
Leviste Joins EDSA Rally After Filing
After submitting the resolution, Leviste proceeded to the EDSA People Power Monument, where he joined a public rally held on the same day. Speaking in Filipino, the lawmaker told the crowd that the gathering “is not just for one group — it is for all Filipinos.” He described the resolution as Congress’s opportunity to respond meaningfully to the public’s frustration over how the flood control corruption scandal has been handled, and to demonstrate that the legislature remains a credible check on executive power.
By the Numbers
- House Resolution No. 1169 — filed by Rep. Leviste and received on June 30, 2026
- 11:24 a.m. — the exact time the resolution was logged by the House Bills and Index Service
- August–September 2025 — period during which the House Infrastructure Committee held its initial DPWH hearings
- September 24, 2025 — date proceedings were officially suspended in favour of the ICI
- March 31, 2026 — date the Independent Commission for Infrastructure ceased operations
- “Almost 100%” — former Undersecretary Bernardo’s stated proportion of rigged bids at the DPWH
- At least 5 Cabinet secretaries — number cited by Senator Lacson as implicated in Cabral’s documents
Why This Matters
The filing of House Resolution No. 1169 represents a direct attempt to close an accountability gap that has persisted since congressional hearings on DPWH flood control anomalies were halted in September 2025 — a gap made worse by the ICI’s disbandment with no replacement in place. The scope of the alleged misconduct, underscored by Bernardo’s claim that bid-rigging was nearly universal across the agency and Lacson’s disclosure implicating senior Cabinet officials, signals that what has been investigated so far may represent only a fraction of the full picture. With Bonoan and Bernardo both expected to turn state witnesses, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, a renewed legislative inquiry could translate explosive testimonies into binding legal and structural reforms for one of the country’s largest spending agencies.
Source: Originally reported by breakingnewsnegrosoriental.com / wire reports
