The series of public statements by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste on the supposed “Cabral Files” may now be nearing an end, unless new developments emerge following remarks by the lawyer of the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary.
In an interview on Tuesday, Leviste thanked Mae Divinagracia, counsel for the family of former DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, for “confirming several of his claims regarding the so-called Cabral Files.”
Divinagracia earlier said documents left behind by her late client were “ostensibly similar” to those released by Leviste, although she clarified that she could not state with certainty that the sets of documents were identical, as she had not seen the entire collection claimed by the congressman.
“I’ve seen the documents. I’ve gone over some of them. I’ve perused through those documents, and I’ve seen a document ostensibly similar to the document that was released by Congressman Leviste,” Divinagracia said.
“But I cannot say with absolute certainty that it's the same because I have not seen the entire document that Congressman Leviste claims to possess,” she added, while clarifying that they do not currently have custody of the documents.
Leviste said Divinagracia’s description of project lists bearing names of proponents and notes from the Secretary matched his own copies, as well as files he said were recently obtained by others from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Following the confirmation that the documents exist, Leviste said he has done his part in informing the public and will now leave it to the DPWH and the Office of the Ombudsman to release the files.
“Atty. Divinagracia confirmed the files exist and are with the DPWH. In that respect, we have done our part in letting the public know the files exist, and can now leave it to the DPWH to release the files to the public in the interest of transparency,” Leviste said.
“It is best that we let the DPWH or Ombudsman be the one to release the files to the public, so the files can be authenticated and explained,” he added.
Divinagracia also said that “during the interview with the Office of the Ombudsman, she confirmed that Congressman Leviste obtained documents from her office.” Leviste noted that Cabral never accused him of forcibly taking the documents, despite having multiple opportunities to do so.
“As was asked in Atty. Divinagracia’s interview yesterday, I also heard that Usec Cabral was told that she could be made state witness if she implicated DBM Secretary Mina Pangandaman, and Usec Cabral did not do so because she did not want to say something that was not true,” Leviste said.
“This reflects the honesty of USec Cabral, and more broadly, how testimonies that do not fit certain narratives have been left out of investigations,” he added.
Leviste further disclosed that Cabral had told him on 4 September that she felt aggrieved after being made to tender a courtesy resignation instead of availing of early retirement, supporting Divinagracia’s statement that Cabral felt she was summarily dismissed after 40 years of service, denied her retirement pay, and used as a scapegoat for those “really culpable or responsible for the flood control mess.”
The congressman said he does not intend to comment further on the issue unless new developments arise. He added that he believes the leadership of the DPWH genuinely seeks reform and transparency and said he would give the agency and the Ombudsman time to address the possible release of the “Cabral Files.”