BATANGAS Rep. Leandro Leviste is not making himself scarce after filing for leave to travel to 19 countries. Or so it seems.
He could have left on February 8 for a five-month sojourn until July 26. That is what he told Congress.
Some claim that the travel is meant to allow the issues and the billions of pesos in penalties slapped against Leviste and his failed solar companies to simmer down. But he said that is not the reason for his travel.
“I don’t want to go abroad. I asked permission from Congress because I was asked by the mothers of some administration congressmen to go abroad instead of continuing to reveal evidence about the proponents of the anomalous DPWH projects,” Leviste told members of the media (quote taken from Philippine Star).
Mothers. How sweet it is that Leviste is respectful of them.
He was forced to own up, however, to new claims regarding the alleged awareness and/or acceptance of kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects by no less than President Bongbong Marcos.
This came after two fellow congressmen he had drawn or manipulated into carrying Leviste’s crusade against corruption in government failed to produce evidence to back up their speeches before the House, which were based on information passed on by Leviste. He was the source.
After alleging that the President knew of and facilitated kickbacks from anomalous insertions in the national budget — based on supposed short messages between Marcos and then legislative liaison officer Adrian Bersamin — ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio clarified that it is Leviste who has more authority to speak about it.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice seconded that it’s also Leviste who holds the supposed affidavit signed by Bersamin inside Leviste’s mansion in Batangas. So, it’s still Leviste or his lawyer who must present it to the authorities if he really wants to nail down the President.
So it is still Leviste or his lawyer who must present it to the authorities if he truly wants to nail down the President. That is, if the younger Bersamin does not have the courage to face his former boss, Marcos.
Leviste also claims to be in possession of pieces of evidence more damning than the so-called Cabral files.
“More than the Cabral files, I have evidence that shows the acceptance of kickbacks. I was advised that this is not yet the right time to release it. However, I had prepared videos so that, whatever happens to me, the truth will come out,” Leviste said.
So there, Leviste falls flat again.
He had been referring to records of the late public works and highways undersecretary Catalina Cabral for so long, yet he could not produce anything that could even start a serious investigation — much less support a strong impeachment complaint against Marcos backed up by documents he claims to have.
Again, since Leviste’s election to Congress in May, he has only said more but produced none.
He could not even sign an affidavit attesting to his allegations.
To see him stand up and prove his claims — claims that would merit cases against corrupt government officials — would bolster his image as a crusader for clean government. He could even force Marcos to resign.
That would be a welcome sight, especially to the fans of Sara Duterte.
What he blames, however, are the supposed attacks against him and his failed ventures for releasing statements that, for now and as of this writing, have nothing to stand on.
This prompted Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong to warn against purported news — read: Leviste’s allegations via Tinio and Erice — that still needs further verification for authenticity.
For Tinio and Erice, however, it is only Leviste who can verify them.
So what is holding Leviste back?
