Batangas lawmakers close ranks, file reso vs Leviste's House speech

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers from Batangas have filed a House resolution condemning what they described as "baseless, malicious, and irresponsible allegations" made by Rep. Leandro Leviste (1st District) against Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto.

The resolution was introduced by Reps. Ryan Santos Recto (6th District), Amado Carlos Bolilia IV (4th District), King George Collantes (3rd District), Beverly Rose Dimacuha (5th District) and Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Reyes-Luistro (2nd District). The province has six legislative districts.

This was in response to Leviste's privilege speech on Tuesday, May 5, where he accused lawmakers of corruption and vote buying and alleged a transactional relationship involving the executive secretary and Rep. Edwin Gardiola (CWS party-list).

Leviste publicly imputed alleged involvement in "purported anomalies" in Batangas to Ralph Recto and Santos-Recto "without any competent, verifiable, or documentary evidence."

In the resolution, the Batangas lawmakers acknowledge that members of Congress are protected by parliamentary freedom of speech and debate. That privilege, however, is meant to help legislators discharge their public trust and not act as "a shield for speculation, insinuation, or reckless statements," they said.

"The deliberate airing of unverified allegations in a privileged forum constitutes a grave misuse of legislative authority and undermines the integrity of the House of Representatives as an institution," the resolution read.

In a separate statement, Ryan Recto said the House resolution "firmly condemns the baseless and irresponsible allegations" against his parents.

"Parliamentary privilege is a sacred duty not a weapon for unverified accusations," he said in a post Thursday, May 8.

Ryan Recto added: "Let us investigate corruption, but let us not manufacture scandal. Let us expose wrongdoing, but let us not destroy due process. Let us protect privilege, but let us also protect truth."

During Tuesday's plenary session, the rookie Batangas lawmaker also defended his father and mother, saying information raised in the chamber must be based on facts.

"While this representation recognizes the importance of legislative oversight, I believe that it is equally important that information shared in this plenary is accurately based on facts, not assumptions, not insinuations and certainly not on incomplete information," he said.

Leviste's allegations

Leviste’s privilege speech initially targeted Executive Secretary Recto, whom he wanted removed from office, but later widened into accusations of corruption and vote buying among lawmakers.

In the speech, Leviste alleged a transactional relationship between Recto and Rep. Gardiola, whom he claimed had funded the 2025 campaign of Gov. Santos-Recto’s political slate in Batangas.

Ryan Recto denied the allegation, saying Gardiola’s ties with the executive secretary were professional.

"Their association is purely professional, as Congressman Gardiola is also a member of the House and a fellow Batangueño, there are no personal interests involved," Ryan Recto said.

Leviste admitted during the plenary exchanges that he had not personally verified his claims and that he was relaying information from unnamed Batangas politicians. He nevertheless urged the chamber to look into the matter.

"I’m saying this to let everyone know the connection of Gardiola and Ralph Recto and its effect on the country," Leviste said in Filipino.

His broader remark accusing lawmakers of vote buying drew sharp objections from colleagues, including Rep. Leila de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal party-list), who demanded that he withdraw the claim that all House members were involved.

Leviste later clarified that he did not mean all lawmakers.

"First, I would like to clarify that I meant that there are some, but not all, and there are many members of Congress who do not violate election laws, so please do not consider that I said that all, and I definitely withdraw that there are," Leviste said.

Rep. David Suarez (Quezon) also questioned why Leviste was raising allegations tied to the 2025 elections months after the fact.

"Why are we now standing here insinuating all sorts of illegal acts that happened in 2025 when so much time has passed? I question the timing of all of this," Suarez said.

The House later voted to strike out Leviste’s privilege speech upon the motion of Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, who said the speech "doesn’t appear to be a speech relating to a personal or collective privilege." — with reports from The STAR