SENATOR Panfilo Lacson stated on Monday that the recent bribery attempt on a rookie lawmaker by a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer highlights how corruption has transformed government officials into couriers for powerful contractors and funders.
Lacson cited the case of Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo Calalo, who was arrested for allegedly attempting to bribe Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste.
“His arrest after a foiled bribery try on Rep. Leviste reinforces my theory that some DPWH officials, at least at the district engineering level, have already been relegated to being ‘legmen’ and worse, ‘bagmen’ of some ‘powerful contractors’ or ‘funders’ responsible for the insertions in the budget,” Lacson said.
He warned that the incident underscored the need for a “surgical solution” to systemic corruption in the DPWH, rather than simple reassignments of personnel.
Lacson believes that Calalo, who was caught with over P3 million in cash allegedly intended to dissuade Leviste from probing questionable flood control projects, is not a “big fish,” but rather an operative for more powerful individuals behind questionable project funding.
He urged investigators to look into the role of funders and legislators who inserted billions of pesos into the 2025 national budget for infrastructure projects.
The senator cited information linking the foiled bribery to an approved P3.6 billion allocation, which could yield up to P360 million in kickbacks. Despite the bribery attempt, Lacson praised Leviste for his integrity in refusing the offer and cooperating with authorities.
