Batangas First District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste filed a resolution on Tuesday, June 30, urging Congress to resume its suspended investigation into anomalous flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), then joined the rally at the EDSA People Power Monument calling for transparency and accountability.
Resolution Received by House at 11:24 A.M.
House Resolution No. 1169 was received by the House Bills and Index Service at 11:24 a.m. on June 30, according to official House records. The resolution urges the House Infrastructure Committee — or alternatively, the Committees on Public Accounts, Public Works and Highways, and Good Government and Public Accountability — to resume the flood control inquiry and conduct a legislative investigation into DPWH project implementation.
Why the Original Hearings Were Suspended
The House Infrastructure Committee opened hearings into anomalous flood control projects in August and September 2025, but suspended proceedings on September 24, 2025 to give way to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). The ICI concluded its operations on March 31, 2026, according to the resolution.
Leviste argued that the ICI's closure removes the stated basis for the suspension. He further noted that measures to institutionalize a successor body to the ICI have not been approved, leaving a governance gap that Congress should fill.
Unexamined Evidence and Scope of Corruption Claims
In his resolution, Leviste stressed that significant evidence remains unexamined by Congress. This includes documents from the office of the late DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral and testimonies from former military officials, the lawmaker said.
He noted that cases filed so far have focused on only a limited number of offices — specifically the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office and the MIMAROPA Regional Office — despite former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo's claim that "almost 100%" of bids at the agency are rigged.
Bonoan Set to Become State Witness, Ombudsman Announces
Leviste also cited the Office of the Ombudsman's June 29 announcement that former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan is set to become a state witness, alongside Bernardo. The lawmaker said both officials are positioned to provide valuable insight into the extent of corruption within the DPWH.
Lacson Disclosure and the Senate's Parallel Investigation
The resolution invoked Senator Panfilo Lacson's disclosure that "at least five Cabinet secretaries and some undersecretaries had allocables and/or non-allocables, according to the documents" from the late Undersecretary Cabral. Leviste noted that the Senate has already recognized the need to continue the investigation through its Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, and argued the same rationale applies equally to the House.
He underscored that an active and independent Congress is essential to the system of checks and balances, and that the House should not cede its investigative function to other bodies.
Probe Would Not Derail Ombudsman Cases or DPWH Reforms
Leviste clarified in his resolution that the proposed House inquiry would not prejudice cases pending before the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan. He also said it would not interfere with the reforms being undertaken by the DPWH under its new leadership.
He said further legislative investigation is needed to strengthen and institutionalize those reforms through law, pointing to changes introduced under the 2026 General Appropriations Act and by DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon.
Leviste at EDSA: 'This Is for All Filipinos'
After filing the resolution, Leviste joined the rally at the EDSA People Power Monument on the same day. Speaking in Filipino, he said the gathering "is not just for one group — it is for all Filipinos." He added that the resolution gives Congress the opportunity to address the public's disappointment over the government's handling of the flood control scandal.
By the Numbers
- House Resolution No. 1169 — filed and received on June 30, 2026
- 11:24 a.m. — time the resolution was received by the House Bills and Index Service
- August–September 2025 — period when the House Infrastructure Committee held its initial hearings
- September 24, 2025 — date the hearings were suspended
- March 31, 2026 — date the Independent Commission for Infrastructure concluded operations
- "Almost 100%" — Bernardo's claimed proportion of rigged bids at the DPWH
- At least 5 Cabinet secretaries — cited by Senator Lacson as having "allocables and/or non-allocables" per Cabral's documents
Why This Matters
The resolution seeks to restore congressional oversight over one of the most significant public works corruption allegations in recent Philippine history, with former DPWH officials claiming that bid-rigging was nearly universal across the agency. The suspension of House hearings since September 2025 — combined with the ICI's closure and the absence of a successor body — has left a critical accountability gap that Leviste argues only Congress can close. With former Secretary Bonoan and Undersecretary Bernardo both set to become state witnesses, the Ombudsman's disclosures could unlock new layers of evidence that legislative inquiry is uniquely positioned to translate into structural reform.
Photo credit: Photo from the Office of Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste