Here’s ES Recto’s online post that provoked Leviste’s tirade

First, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste sparked a family feud. Then he ignited a provincial political war. At the House of Reps last Tuesday, he quarreled with congressmen from various regions.

What next from this first-termer?

Leviste on Dec. 22 disclosed that his mother Senator Loren Legarda got P1-billion pork barrel in 2025. He discovered that from computer files of DPWH USec. Catalina Cabral, which the latter’s staff accused him of filching before she committed suicide. He said his mom admitted that all senators partook of the P120-billion pork, and that her P1-billion cut was the lowest.

Leviste then exposed the “unholy alliance” of Executive Sec. Ralph Recto and Constructor party list Rep. Edwin Gardiola, both also Batangueños. He alleged that Gardiola bankrolled the governorship and vice governorship campaigns of Recto’s wife Vilma Santos and stepson Lucky Manzano. Before becoming ES, Recto was finance secretary and before that Batangas district congressman.

At the House on Tuesday, Leviste claimed that Gardiola spent P1 billion to buy votes for Vilma-Lucky. Gardiola supposedly showed him and Recto the cash when they met at Punta Fuego on Apr. 16, 2025. Leviste sought an inquiry into Recto and Gardiola’s “motives.” He said all House members bought votes in Election 2025, although rates in Batangas were higher than in adjacent Quezon province and Bicol region.

Three colleagues took turns disputing him. Quezon Rep. Jay-Jay Suarez regretted mentoring Leviste. Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon moved to expunge Leviste’s speech from House records. Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima said Leviste’s sweeping accusation tarnished them all.

Recto’s son, Batangas 6th district Rep. Ryan Recto, said Leviste presented no proof of his allegations. Leviste countered that Gardiola spent a separate P1 billion for vote-buying in Ryan’s district.

Leviste added that he alone didn’t buy votes to win. That’s because his Lingkod Legarda Leviste Foundation, into which he infused P6 billion, distributed schoolbags to voters’ children before the campaign. The P6 billion came from his P34-billion sale of controlling shares in his Solar Phils. New Energy Corp.

What got Leviste so riled up last Tuesday? He said his privilege speech was to defend himself against ES Recto’s online attack. Hardly anyone knew there was such comment from Recto until Leviste mentioned it in Congress. Newsmen and netizens scampered for a copy of Recto’s provocation.

Here are excerpts from the original 684 words:

“Ayaw ko sanang patulan ang isang kulang sa pansin, kulang sa pag-iisip, kulang sa pagmamahal.

“Sa unang pagtatagpo pa lang namin may handa siyang P400 milyon. Pinakiusapan niya ako na suhulan ang kanyang kalaban sa politika upang umatras. Tumanggi ako.

“Sumunod na linggo inalok niya kami ng P1 bilyon para umurong si Governor Vi at siya ang humalili. Muli tumanggi ako.

“Tanging respeto ko sa kaniyang ina bilang dating kasamahan sa Senado ang dahilan para hindi ko siya isiwalat at kasuhan.

First, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste sparked a family feud. Then he ignited a provincial political war. At the House of Reps last Tuesday, he quarreled with congressmen from various regions.

What next from this first-termer?

Leviste on Dec. 22 disclosed that his mother Senator Loren Legarda got P1-billion pork barrel in 2025. He discovered that from computer files of DPWH USec. Catalina Cabral, which the latter’s staff accused him of filching before she committed suicide. He said his mom admitted that all senators partook of the P120-billion pork, and that her P1-billion cut was the lowest.

Leviste then exposed the “unholy alliance” of Executive Sec. Ralph Recto and Constructor party list Rep. Edwin Gardiola, both also Batangueños. He alleged that Gardiola bankrolled the governorship and vice governorship campaigns of Recto’s wife Vilma Santos and stepson Lucky Manzano. Before becoming ES, Recto was finance secretary and before that Batangas district congressman.

At the House on Tuesday, Leviste claimed that Gardiola spent P1 billion to buy votes for Vilma-Lucky. Gardiola supposedly showed him and Recto the cash when they met at Punta Fuego on Apr. 16, 2025. Leviste sought an inquiry into Recto and Gardiola’s “motives.” He said all House members bought votes in Election 2025, although rates in Batangas were higher than in adjacent Quezon province and Bicol region.

Three colleagues took turns disputing him. Quezon Rep. Jay-Jay Suarez regretted mentoring Leviste. Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon moved to expunge Leviste’s speech from House records. Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima said Leviste’s sweeping accusation tarnished them all.

Recto’s son, Batangas 6th district Rep. Ryan Recto, said Leviste presented no proof of his allegations. Leviste countered that Gardiola spent a separate P1 billion for vote-buying in Ryan’s district.

Leviste added that he alone didn’t buy votes to win. That’s because his Lingkod Legarda Leviste Foundation, into which he infused P6 billion, distributed schoolbags to voters’ children before the campaign. The P6 billion came from his P34-billion sale of controlling shares in his Solar Phils. New Energy Corp.

What got Leviste so riled up last Tuesday? He said his privilege speech was to defend himself against ES Recto’s online attack. Hardly anyone knew there was such comment from Recto until Leviste mentioned it in Congress. Newsmen and netizens scampered for a copy of Recto’s provocation.

Here are excerpts from the original 684 words:

“Ayaw ko sanang patulan ang isang kulang sa pansin, kulang sa pag-iisip, kulang sa pagmamahal.

“Sa unang pagtatagpo pa lang namin may handa siyang P400 milyon. Pinakiusapan niya ako na suhulan ang kanyang kalaban sa politika upang umatras. Tumanggi ako.

“Sumunod na linggo inalok niya kami ng P1 bilyon para umurong si Governor Vi at siya ang humalili. Muli tumanggi ako.

“Tanging respeto ko sa kaniyang ina bilang dating kasamahan sa Senado ang dahilan para hindi ko siya isiwalat at kasuhan.

“Reports have reached us that he engineered massive vote-buying in Batangas, unprecedented in history.

“Nu’ng nanalo siya, nanumpa siya sa akin. Mayroon siyang hinahangad: ang makamkam ang libo-libong ektaryang hacienda ng tubo sa Nasugbu. (Note: Recto told this writer it’s the 7,000-hectare Hacienda Roxas foreclosed by Landbank, which he chaired as finance sec.)

“Wala akong kakayahang pagbigyan ang isang agaw-lupa. Tumanggi ako.

“Ginagawa niya ito para lunurin ang kanyang P24-bilyon utang na resulta ng kanyang ghost solar projects – ang kanyang pinaka-malaking budol sa pamahalaan at sambayanan.

“Pilit niyang nilalagyan ng malisya ang koneksyon namin ni Gardiola. Ang mga Gardiola ay matagal kong katunggali sa politika. Naglaban kami sa maraming eleksyon. Nakasama ko lang siya nu’ng 2022 bilang respeto sa isang kapwa Batangueño congressman. (This writer scooped that Recto godfathered the 2024 Italy wedding of Gardiola’s daughter.)

“Nabasa ko sa social media, ‘Never trust a man who disrespects his mother.’ This bitter brat, prone to tantrums, badmouths the woman who gave birth to him.

“Sa aking 30-taon sa serbisyo, ngayon lang ako nakaharap ng isang taong ganito.

“Ipinapahayag ko ito bilang Ralph Recto, Batangueño.”

Expect fireworks again from Leviste on Monday. He admitted the other week to being a secret DDS, Duterte Diehard Supporter. Having outed himself, he will strive to stop plenary approval of VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment.

Alongside him will be three other first-termers: Kiko Barzaga of Cavite, Paolo Marcoleta of Sagip party and Omar Duterte of Davao City. Sara’s brother Rep. Paolo Duterte will lead them.

The P1.7-trillion flood works scam angers Leviste. But he glosses over the fact that it began in 2016 under his idol Rody Duterte. Also, that Paolo got P52 billion in flood funds during the last three years of his father’s Presidency.

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