There is no clear confirmation whether Rep. Leandro Leviste lawfully obtained or forcibly took files on the infrastructure budget from the DPWH, even from the legal counsel of the late Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral. Cabral's lawyer, Mae Divinagracia, stated that Cabral did not discuss the details of how Leviste acquired the documents. Leviste's claims of authorization from Secretary Vince Dizon and Cabral remain unverified.
In the ongoing controversy over the 'Cabral files,' Maria Catalina Cabral's lawyer, Mae Divinagracia, has not confirmed that Rep. Leandro Leviste lawfully obtained the documents during his September 4, 2025, visit to the DPWH office. In an interview on ANC's Headstart, Divinagracia stated that Cabral only confirmed Leviste had 'obtained documents from her office,' but did not specify that Cabral gave them or that Leviste received them directly from her. These documents include DPWH budget requests, notes from former Secretary Manuel Bonoan, names of proponents, and 'district allocables.'
Furthermore, Cabral could not verify Leviste's copies without seeing the actual documents, according to Divinagracia. Leviste insists that 'obtained' means 'given,' claiming authorization from Secretary Vince Dizon and Cabral. However, Dizon refuted this in late December 2025, stating he had not seen Leviste's copy. Some staff have alleged that Leviste forcibly took the files from a DPWH computer.
In an email to Philstar.com, Divinagracia said, 'I never made any such confirmation,' and suggested questioning witnesses. New details reveal that the files showed DPWH budget proponents and a 'parametric formula' developed by Cabral for 'district allowables,' which the House leadership refused to follow, with adjustments allegedly from former Rep. Elizaldy Co's office. Cabral died on December 19, 2025, after falling into a ravine on Kennon Road in Benguet. Government agencies remain slow in verifying the files and how Leviste acquired them.
