DPWH engineer nabbed for P3.1-M bribe attempt on Batangas lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines — A government engineer was arrested in an entrapment operation after allegedly attempting to bribe Rep. Leandro Leviste (Batangas, 1st District) with around P3.1 million in cash to stop a probe into anomalous projects in the district, according to the Batangas Police.

This development comes while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is under congressional investigation for irregularities and corruption in flood control projects, where officials allegedly receive kickbacks.

Currently, the Taal Municipal Police Station has DPWH Batangas 1st District engineer Abelardo Calalo in custody following his arrest on Friday, August 22. Authorities are still determining whether the P3.1 million recovered during the operation was only an initial payment.

In a statement, the DPWH said Calalo will be relieved of his assignment and placed under preventive suspension.

The agency also denounced corruption within its ranks, saying it fully supports the ongoing investigations by the proper authorities.

Batangas' flood control projects

Leviste confirmed on Monday, August 25 that a case against Calalo will be filed before the Office of the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor on Tuesday, August 26.

"We should not tolerate any corruption in DPWH. We should demand projects at better quality and lower cost, and obligate contractors to correct any deficiencies immediately without additional cost to government," he said in a statement on August 25. 

The neophyte lawmaker and businessman said this incident points to deeper institutional issues, warranting broader reforms in the DPWH.

Leviste disclosed that his inspections in August uncovered flood control projects in his district that were poorly built, with structures collapsing under recent storms, even though they were constructed only in the last few years.

In his most recent report, he looked into three projects along the Palico River, Binambang River, and Pansipit River in Batangas. On August 24, Leviste said the DPWH’s Binambang Riverbank Protection Project in Balayan, Batangas, had collapsed during tropical cyclone “Kristine” in October 2024.

The week before, he said flood control projects along these rivers had already cost over P1 billion. Leviste, together with DPWH engineers and local officials, also inspected recently built roads, which he found were just as easily damaged by storms.

As Congress tackles the 2026 budget, the lawmaker has proposed reallocating the P275 billion set aside for flood control projects to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the construction of new classrooms.

What went before

During a Senate probe, Sen. Ping Lacson claimed that politicians receive around 25% of funds as kickback in flood control projects. He said only 40% of a project's funds are actually used for implementation. 

He praised Leviste for reporting the attempted bribe, which he estimated at around P360 million in total. This, however, has yet to be fully confirmed.

Investigations into flood control projects were prompted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth address to the nation, in which he called out alleged corruption and vowed to file charges against officials tied to failed projects.

He has since launched the "Sumbong sa Pangulo" website listing DPWH flood control projects from 2022 to 2025. Citizens can view the type of project, the contractor, contract amount, and project location, as well as report on its status based on their own observations.

Marcos' initial report also revealed that the top 15 contractors actually bagged about 20% of the P545-billion funding for flood control projects. 

Calalo is expected to face charges for corruption of public officials and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.