Ombudsman says Leviste showed partial files while Cabral was alive

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December 29, 2025 | 12:24pm

MANILA, Philippines — Only portions of the so-called “Cabral files” were shown to the Office of the Ombudsman while former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was still alive, contradicting claims that the full set of documents had already been turned over, the Ombudsman said.

In a video statement sent to reporters on Monday, December 29, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said investigators engaged with Rep. Leandro Leviste (Batangas, 1st District) “as a matter of prudence and diligence” while Cabral was still living and represented by counsel.

“During this engagement, Congressman Leviste presented only limited portions of the list responsive, in fairness, to specific inquiries. But he did not present the entire set of files he claimed to possess, even when asked to do so,” Clavano said.

Clavano said this differs from Leviste’s earlier public statements that the full Cabral files had already been shown to the Ombudsman.

Clavano said the Ombudsman is preparing to conduct a forensic examination of Cabral’s computer CPU, which is now under its custody.

“This will be done transparently and in coordination with the Commission on Audit, with the DPWH, the Office of the Ombudsman, of course, and the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, and this is to ensure the integrity of the whole process,” Clavano said. 

Just a part of it

Clavano stressed that the Cabral files are only one component of a broader investigation into alleged anomalies in infrastructure spending.

He said alleged budget insertions reflected in the documents must still be examined to determine whether the projects were implemented, overpriced or were “ghost” projects.

A budget insertion by itself is not automatically illegal, Clavano noted, but it becomes “criminal” if it involves fraud, misuse of public funds, or non-existent projects.

“The office of the Ombudsman respectfully asks everybody to allow the investigation to move forward guided by real facts, credible evidence, and, of course, due process,” he said. 

Questions over source of documents

Clavano said several individuals have since come forward claiming to possess copies of the Cabral files. He emphasized the need to identify the original source of the records and distinguish them from secondary copies.

“The best and most reliable source of documents are actually the agencies and individuals who had custody, who had control and even authorship of the computers, the storage devices, and the files themselves,” Clavano said. 

“Evidence that is derived directly from these sources will naturally carry far greater evidentiary value than copies that are circulating outside official custody,” he added. 

On December 21, days after Cabral's death, Leviste claimed that Cabral personally gave him the files on September 4, days before her death.

The lawmaker also claimed she did so after Vince Dizon allegedly instructed her to release them “in the interest of transparency.”

Leviste said the documents list proponents of DPWH budget insertions, including lawmakers, private individuals, and senior executive officials outside the DPWH.

Dizon has disputed Leviste’s account, saying the files were taken without authorization by copying them from a computer in Cabral’s office onto a flash drive—an allegation Leviste has denied.