DPWH Engineer Busted for ₱3M Bribe! “Big Fish” Scandal Rocks Batangas!

BATANGAS — A shocking corruption scandal has erupted as DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo “Abe” Calalo was caught red-handed attempting to hand over ₱3,126,900 in cash to Congressman Leandro Leviste — all to stop the lawmaker from probing shady government projects!

The sting operation in Taal, Batangas, on Friday night ended with Calalo in handcuffs, his millions in cash seized as damning evidence.

Congressman Strikes Back! Instead of taking the bribe, Leviste immediately reported the incident to authorities, ensuring that the alleged scheme was crushed before it could take root.

DPWH Responds! The Department of Public Works and Highways acted fast: Calalo has been relieved from duty and placed under preventive suspension. DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said, “If the allegation is true, his arrest is justified.”

Lacson Drops Bombshell!But Senator Ping Lacson warns the public: Calalo is just the tip of the iceberg.“ The arrest proves that some DPWH officials are acting as ‘bagmen’ for powerful contractors and funders. We need to expose the real ‘big fish’ behind this scandal!” Lacson declared.

He also hinted at a potential connection to the ₱3.6-billion 2025 national budget, warning that kickbacks could reach a staggering ₱360 million.

Leviste: Zero Tolerance for Corruption! The young congressman is taking a strong stand. His office confirmed the case will be filed Tuesday, August 26, at the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.“We must not tolerate corruption in DPWH. We demand better projects at lower costs and push for systemic reforms,” Leviste said.

This scandal is far from over, and many are now watching closely to see who the real masterminds behind this multi-million peso bribery attempt might be.