Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has strongly denied allegations made by Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste that he was involved in budget insertions tied to flood control projects.
Dizon dismissed the claims as baseless and malicious, following Leviste’s assertion that supposed “insertions” or “allocable funds” were placed in the national budget for flood control projects linked to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, which Dizon previously headed.
In response, the BCDA issued a statement clarifying that it has no flood control projects funded through budget insertions, allocable funds, or any discretionary sources. The agency stressed that no such projects exist under its programs and rejected allegations suggesting the presence of discretionary or flexible funding tied to flood control.
BCDA maintained that claims pointing to the use of discretionary or allocable funds for these projects are false and unsupported by official records.
Dizon’s camp also raised concerns over the timing of Leviste’s accusations. The allegations surfaced shortly after reports emerged that several employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways accused the congressman of forcibly and illegally obtaining documents from the late DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral.
The secretary’s office has not linked the accusations directly but noted the sequence of events in questioning the motive behind the claims.
Leviste has not publicly responded to the BCDA’s clarification regarding the absence of flood control projects or funding mechanisms cited in his allegations.
The dispute adds to growing tensions between the lawmaker and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways, as well as related agencies, amid continuing scrutiny over budget allocations and documentation linked to public infrastructure projects.
