Finally, an example for lawmakers to follow.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is heartened over the example set by a neophyte congressman who rejected a bribe offer from a corrupt Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer.
On Sunday evening, Lacson lauded Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste for his “integrity and idealism” in having the engineer arrested in a police sting operation.
“My snappy salute to neophyte Cong. Leandro Leviste, Batangas 1st District for the successful police entrapment operation against a corrupt DPWH District Engineer who tried to bribe him with up to P360M in ‘kickbacks’ from infra projects in his district. May his tribe increase,” Lacson posted on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: Tularan ang Bagitong Mambabatas na Tumanggi sa Suhol ng DPWH Engineer
Lacson also responded to a netizen who 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.
A statement from Leviste’s office on Monday morning identified the engineer as DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo Calalo. Charges against him will be filed before the Office of the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor on Tuesday.
In a radio interview Monday, Batangas provincial police chief P/Col. Geovanny Emerick Sibalo said the arrest occurred at about 6 p.m. last Aug. 22, after they responded to a call from Leviste’s office and caught Calalo attempting to bribe the lawmaker. The police recovered more than P3 million cash from Calalo.
Calalo reportedly tried to bribe Leviste to “dissuade” him from investigating DPWH flood control projects in his district, but Leviste arranged to have him arrested. Calalo is detained at the Taal Municipal Police Station, and is to be charged accordingly.
Lacson, citing information he received, said the P3.6 million cash that Calalo brought was supposedly an initial payment, to be followed by another P15 million.
Last week, Lacson delivered a privilege speech detailing the corruption behind anomalous and ghost flood control projects, including the syndicate-like modus of the DPWH’s 1st Engineering District in Bulacan.
He also pointed out the importance of the actions of an awakened nation in helping the flood control project mess reach its “logical conclusion” – the prosecution, conviction and imprisonment of all those involved, especially the big fish.
Otherwise, he said those already involved in corruption will be emboldened to continue, and those not yet involved will be encouraged to engage in it.
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.
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Lacson: Tularan ang Bagitong Mambabatas na Tumanggi sa Suhol ng DPWH Engineer
Sa wakas, may pwedeng pamarisan ang mga mambabatas.
Ikinagalak ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang huwarang ipinakita ng isang bagitong kongresista na tumanggi sa alok na suhol mula sa isang tiwaling district engineer ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Pinuri ni Lacson nitong Linggo ng gabi si Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste dahil sa kanyang “integridad at idealismo” matapos nitong ipaaresto ang naturang engineer sa pamamagitan ng isang entrapment operation ng pulisya.
“My snappy salute to neophyte Cong/ Leandro Leviste, Batangas 1st District for the successful police entrapment operation against a corrupt DPWH District Engineer who tried to bribe him with up to P360M in ‘kickbacks’ from infra projects in his district. May his tribe increase,” ani Lacson sa kanyang post sa X.
Sumagot din si Lacson sa isang netizen na nagsabi na bale-wala ang halagang iyon kay Leviste dahil sa kanyang yaman. Giit ni Lacson, mas mahalaga ang integridad at idealismo nito.
“I don’t think it is about his wealth; it’s his integrity and idealism. An inspiration for all the neophyte congressmen to emulate,” aniya.
Sa isang pahayag mula sa opisina ni Leviste nitong Lunes ng umaga, kinilala ang nasabing engineer bilang si DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo Calalo. Kakasuhan siya sa Office of the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor sa Martes.
Sa panayam sa radyo nitong Lunes, sinabi ni Batangas provincial police chief P/Col. Geovanny Emerick Sibalo na nangyari ang pag-aresto 6 p.m. ng Agosto 22, matapos tumugon sila sa tawag ng tanggapan ni Leviste. Dito nila nahuli si Calalo na nagtatangkang suhulin si Leviste. Nabawi ang higit P3 milyon kay Calalo.
Sinubukan umanong suhulan ni Calalo si Leviste upang pigilan ang kanyang imbestigasyon sa mga flood control project ng DPWH sa distrito, nguni’t lumapit si Leviste sa pulis para gumawa ng entrapment na nagresulta sa pagkakaaresto ni Calalo. Kasalukuyang nakadetine si Calalo sa Taal Municipal Police Station at kakasuhan sa Martes.
Batay sa impormasyon na nakuha ni Lacson, ang P3.6 milyon na dinala ni Calalo ay umano’y paunang bayad, na susundan pa ng karagdagang P15 milyon.
Noong nakaraang linggo, nag-privilege speech si Lacson sa plenaryo upang ibunyag ang katiwalian sa mga kuwestiyonableng at ghost flood control projects, kabilang ang mala-sindikatong modus ng 1st Engineering District ng DPWH sa Bulacan.
Iginiit din niya ang kahalagahan ng pagkilos ng mamamayang gising sa isyung ito upang marating ang “loohikal na konklusyon” ng problema sa flood control projects – ang pagsasakdal, pagkakakulong, at pagpaparusa sa lahat ng sangkot, lalo na sa mga malalaking isda.
Kung hindi, aniya, lalo pang hihikayatin ang mga sangkot na ipagpatuloy ang katiwalian, at maaakit naman ang iba na pasukin ito.
Una nang binigyang-diin ni Lacson na nakatanggap ang DPWH ng humigit-kumulang P1.9 trilyon para sa flood control projects mula 2011, ngunit bigo pa ring mapigilan ang pagbaha. Tantiya niya, kalahati ng halagang ito ay maaaring nalustay sa katiwalian.
“For the past 15 years, lumala ito kasi nang nakita nilang lumulusot at napakadaling pagkakitaan, sabi ko nga piece of cake, tumodo sila,” ani Lacson.
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