Leviste flags 'discrimination' in Batangas aid rollout

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MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste (Batangas 1st District) called for a congressional inquiry into what he described as possible discrimination in the distribution of P200,000 assistance to barangays under a government program.

In a statement Monday, April 27, Leviste said 84 barangay captains from Batangas are prepared to testify before Congress after they were allegedly excluded from receiving the funds under the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” program on April 24.

“Until it is explained why the 84 barangays were excluded, we cannot ensure that the politicization of aid distribution will not happen again,” Leviste said.

“That is why I am calling on Congress or the Senate to conduct an investigation to ensure that this kind of discrimination in aid distribution will never happen again,” he added.

In the same statement, the group said the affected barangays had completed all requirements and were not told to skip the event. They were not invited, however, by the Vilma Santos Recto-led provincial government, despite earlier announcements that all barangays were expected to attend, they said.

Lamberto Marcellana, president of the Taal Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), said a provincial board member Fernando Rocafort, told him their municipalities were excluded.

“Nang ulitin ko po sa kanya nitong 24, sinabi niya sakin, 'ABC pasensya ka na, hindi kasama ang Taal tsaka ang Nasugbu, dahil nagtampururot raw ang governor sa inyo',” Marcellana was quoted as saying. (When I repeated to him on April 24, he said, 'ABC, sorry about this, that Taal and Nasugbu are not included because the governor has resentment against you.)

Marcellana's counterpart in Nasugbu, Emerito Herrera, also said Rocafort told them they were excluded.

“Nung 24 ng umaga, tinawagan ako ng Bokal Fernan, ang sabi sa akin, ABC, pasensya ka na, hindi kami ang nag-ayos niyan,” Herrera said. (In the morning of the 24th, Bokan Fernan called me and told me, 'ABC, sorry about this, we were not the ones who organized it.)

The barangay officials also denied claims that Leviste had blocked their attendance.

“Sana maimbitahan sa Kongreso itong 84 kapitan upang patunayan na ang ating Congressman ay walang sinasabi na huwag pumunta sa Batangas para huwag kunin ang ayuda,” Barangay Captain June Manimtim said. (We hope these 84 barangay captains would be invited to Congress to prove that our congressman did not tell them not to go to Batangas to claim their aid.)

They also alleged that staff of Gov. Vilma Santos created a separate group chat that excluded the affected barangays.

Leviste steps in

Leviste said he would advance the P200,000 assistance for each of the affected barangays while awaiting the official release of funds.

He added that the barangay captains are now submitting their documents directly to Malacañang after earlier filing requirements with the provincial government.

The dispute comes amid recent public exchanges involving Leviste and administration officials.

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, husband of the governor, earlier denied Leviste’s claim that a call from him blocked the passage of a minimum wage increase in the 19th Congress, saying the allegation was “not true.”