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Leviste adds respondents in complaint vs. DPWH engineer Calalo
Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste has filed a supplemental complaint against former DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo Calalo and impleaded TopTech Trading & Construction Co. Inc. owners Elrey Jose C. Noche and Marciana M. Noche in a bribery case.
The new charges stem from Calalo allegedly delivering ₱3,126,900.00 in cash to Leviste on August 22, 2025, which was accompanied by a document indicating it represented 3% of the ₱104,230,000.00 price of three contracts awarded to TopTech.
Calalo had previously submitted a counter-affidavit, claiming he only offered 'donations' from contractors to Leviste and denying the bribery accusation.
Leviste, however, argues that these 'donations' were a cover for the alleged bribery, pointing to the document showing the money as a percentage of contracts awarded to TopTech.
Leviste also stated that Calalo had mentioned other contractors who offered him percentages of DPWH projects totaling ₱3.6 billion, and that this bag of cash was just the tip of the iceberg.
He believes it is his job to pursue these cases to prevent the legalization of contractors giving 'donations' that represent percentages of DPWH contract prices.
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