August 25, 2025 | Batangas City, Philippines
A district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was arrested Friday afternoon in Taal, Batangas, for allegedly attempting to bribe Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste.
Police sources confirmed that the arrest took place around 5:00 p.m. during an entrapment operation in Barangay Poblacion. Investigators said the engineer offered Leviste P3,126,900 in exchange for halting an inquiry into DPWH infrastructure projects within the district.
The suspect is now detained at the Taal Municipal Police Station and may face charges under Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code (Corruption of Public Officials) and Republic Act 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Senator Panfilo Lacson commended Leviste for the successful operation, praising the first-term lawmaker’s stand against corruption. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Lacson said, “My snappy salute to neophyte Cong. Leandro Leviste, Batangas 1st District, for the entrapment operation against a corrupt DPWH official who allegedly attempted to offer up to P360M in kickbacks. May his tribe increase.”
Leviste has yet to issue a direct statement regarding the arrest. However, in a Facebook post on Sunday, he shared updates on ongoing flood control works in Palico, Binambang, and Pansipit rivers, which he said were poorly built and easily damaged by recent typhoons.
“Investigations have revealed that several flood control projects in the First District used substandard materials and poor workmanship, wasting millions in taxpayers’ money,” Leviste wrote. “Public funds must be spent correctly, without corruption. Contractors who delivered defective projects must repair them at no cost to the government.”
Leviste also called for accountability, stressing that government funds must not be wasted and that those responsible should ensure the projects are fixed to prevent further flooding in the province.
