Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste on Tuesday has unveiled a list of alleged "pre-ordered" Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects valued at around ₱20 billion for 2025, which were flagged in so-called "Cabral files" of the late Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.

In a Facebook post, Leviste claimed that the documents suggest that many of these projects may be linked to Construction Workers Solidarity (CWS) Party-list Representative Edwin Gardiola.

Leviste said the list, drawn from the “CENTI 2025” files dated August 30, 2024, was presented to the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) on November 19 and 20, and to the Ombudsman’s field investigation team on November 26.

He said that he uploaded the files to make the information publicly accessible and to assist in ongoing investigations concerning alleged anomalies involving Gardiola.

“Ipinakita ko ito sa ICI noong Nov 19 at 20 at sa field investigation team ng Ombudsman noong Nov 26 upang ipakita ang di umano’y “pre-ordering” ng mahigit ₱20B na mga proyekto sa 2025 DPWH NEP,” Leviste said.

“Ini-upload ko rin ito upang ipakita kung paano makakatulong ang “Cabral Files” at iba pang mga listahan ng project proponents sa pagtukoy ng mga anomalya sa DPWH,” he added.

According to the documents, the first project on the list is the “CWS Multi-Purpose Hall” in Muntinlupa. Almost all of the projects—or similar versions of them—appeared in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and have Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Leviste noted that nearly half of the projects were awarded to companies owned by Gardiola’s family, such as Newington Builders and S-Ang Construction, while the rest went to firms allegedly linked to him, including Readycon Trading and CT Leoncio.

"Hindi natin matitiyak kung bakit napunta ang mga proyektong nasa listahang ito sa mga kompanyang may kaugnayan kay Cong Gardiola, kaya ang hinihiling ko ay imbestigahan at ipaliwanag ito ng DPWH," he called on DPWH explanation.

The projects are spread across the National Capital Region, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Bataan, Zambales, Nueva Vizcaya, Mindoro, Palawan, Negros Oriental, and Bohol.

Four of the flagged projects are in Leviste’s own district—road projects in Tuy, Batangas—awarded to Readycon Trading.

He recounted that Gardiola personally sought assistance in May after local government authorities initially declined to approve these projects.

Leviste estimated that the total DPWH projects connected to Gardiola could exceed ₱100 billion. Projects awarded to his family’s companies may account for more than ₱70 billion from 2016 to 2025, while Readycon Trading, CT Leoncio, HGG Builders, and other associated firms could represent more than ₱30 billion from 2023 to 2025.

He also criticized the DPWH bidding system, citing former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo’s statement that “almost 100% of DPWH bids are cooked.”

Leviste stressed that addressing flood control alone in the 2026 DPWH budget is insufficient if alleged irregularities in project allocation and bidding persist.

"Ibig sabihin, hindi sapat na tinanggal ang flood control sa 2026 DPWH budget—dapat tigilan ang di umano'y lutuan ng bidding na nangyayari sa halos 100% ng proyekto," the lawmaker noted.

Leviste urged the DPWH to explain why the August 2024 list indicated projects seemingly destined for companies linked to Gardiola in 2025. If proven, Gardiola could be considered “the largest buyer and contractor of DPWH projects,” second only to former Ako-Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co and ahead of the goverment contractor Discaya, according to their ICI meeting.

“Kung "managot ang dapat managot," ibig sabihin, dapat imbestigahan hindi lamang ang substandard o ghost projects ng mga contractors, kundi pati na rin ang di umano'y "pre-ordering" ng mga project proponents sa DPWH budget at ang lutuan ng mga bidding sa mga DPWH District Engineering Offices sa buong bansa,” Leviste said.

Leviste further cited Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, who described the 'Cabral Files' as a 'rich source of leads' for uncovering the individuals and companies behind DPWH projects.