Sunwest tops list of contractors in Leviste’s ‘Cabral Files’

According to the unofficial “Cabral Files” released by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste, construction firm Sunwest Inc., allegedly linked to former Ako-Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, topped the list of contractors that claimed the largest amounts from the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Leviste released two separate lists on his Facebook page. One was labeled “Top Contractors from P161B List of DPWH Projects Tagged Under OP (ES/SAP), F1, BINI10, OT 2, LEADERSHIP, CENTI2025 in 2025 NEP ‘Cabral Files,’” while the other was titled “Top Contractors for DPWH Projects Funded by Unprogrammed Appropriations.”

"I am not accusing anyone of corruption, I am only disclosing information that I have gathered," Leviste said during a press briefing Wednesday morning.

"There is probably nothing wrong with releasing this information, [this is] for people's information and maybe concerned citizens will also help in investigations regarding the alleged anomalous projects," he added.

Sunwest Inc. topped the list of projects funded by unprogrammed appropriations with a total of P11.03 billion, while Newington Builders Inc., owned by Construction Workers Solidarity party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola, ranked first among those tagged under OP (ES/SAP) with P6.59 billion.

“Unlike other project insertions, UA projects are not itemized by Congress in the General Appropriations Act. They are approved in lump sums and the DPWH chooses which projects to use the funds for,” Leviste explained.

He added that compared to allocable Department of Public Works and Highways budgets approved by Congress, unprogrammed appropriations are more centralized, allowing fewer but larger contractors to receive projects. He noted that the top 15 UA contractors received more than 30 percent of the UA budget.

Leviste further said the Executive branch decides on UA projects, but claimed that many projects funded under the appropriation were substandard and overpriced.

He also said the definitions of the unidentified labels OP (ES/SAP), F1, BINI10, OT 2, LEADERSHIP and CENTI2025 should be explained by the Department of Public Works and Highways, along with identifying the contractors who inserted the projects into the budget.

“Compared to other project insertions, it seems that these projects were not put forward by ordinary legislators due to the large amount,” Leviste said.

“In my own district, the projects from this list are known to be “non-allocable” by congressmen, including some overpriced road projects, and streetlights that cost more than P230,000 per piece,” he added.

Also included among the top contractors under unprogrammed appropriations were MG Samidan Construction with P6.8 billion, Newbig Four J Construction Inc. with P4.9 billion, Aqualine Construction with P3.5 billion, Le Bron Construction with P3.4 billion, D.T. Recio Inc. with P3.2 billion, Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. with P3 billion, EightJ’S Construction Services with P2.96 billion, Silverwolves Construction Corp. with P2.93 billion and Legacy Construction Corp. with P2.88 billion.

Meanwhile, contractors listed under the unidentified labels included S-Ang Construction & General Trading Inc. with P6.2 billion, Equi-Parco Construction Co. with P6.1 billion, Sunwest Inc. with P4.97 billion, JWU Construction and Supply with P4.4 billion, M. Montesclaros Enterprises Inc. with P3.86 billion, 11-16 Construction with P3.3 billion, Rayman Builders Inc. with P3.3 billion and D.T. Recio Inc. with P2.87 billion.

Leviste said the files were obtained from the late DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral and contain funding and project records from the agency from 2023 to 2025.