MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) claimed Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste forcibly acquired soft copies of the “Cabral files.”

DPWH Undersecretary Ricardo Bernabe III told the Senate blue ribbon committee on Monday, January 19, that the late former undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” Cabral gave Leviste a hard copy of the list of allocations per congressional district on September 4, 2025.

Leviste publicized the files on Christmas Eve following Cabral’s death. The files have garnered public interest as Cabral was behind the mysterious formula for the allocation of projects to congressional districts. 

However, Bernabe said Cabral’s staff recalled Leviste forcibly acquiring a soft copy of the files and other documents from a computer of the DPWH planning service. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon also denied authorizing the release of the files to Leviste.

“That was the report that the soft copies of the files in the computer were forcibly taken. However, upon the request of former Undersecretary Cabral and her staff na huwag na pong palakahin yung issue. That is why we just maintained reports and the footage but wala na pong ginawang further action, Chair,” Bernabe said. 

(Former undersecretary Cabral and her staff requested not to make the issue any bigger. That is why we just maintained reports and the footage but we didn’t take any further action.)

DPWH officials confirmed the authenticity of the list of allocations per district, but they said they have yet to authenticate the other files.

According to Bernabe, the computer from which Leviste obtained the “Cabral files” is currently in the custody of the Ombudsman and is subject to forensic examination.

Senator Rodante Marcoleta, meanwhile, questioned Leviste’s credibility to testify on the Cabral files since the lawmaker was not involved in the preparation of the documents.

“He has nothing to do with the preparation of the entries, the consolidation of the reports, he has no personality to testify,” Marcoleta said.

“I think from a legal standpoint, it is not proper for the congressman to identify or make any explanations as to the content of the files.”

Leviste, for his part, said neither Cabral nor her legal counsel said that the files were obtained through force.

“Mr. Chair, I believe the lawyer of the family of Usec. Cabral said that Usec. Cabral never said that it was forcibly taken even when this was discussed at the Ombudsman in early December. And it is based on others’ testimonies that that is so,” he said.

“Apart from the lack of any mention of it by Usec. Cabral, there is also CCTV that was also shown by the DPWH.” – Rappler.com