Leviste vs Recto: Politicalscions clash over corruption

MANILA, Philippines —  Lawmakers who are scions of dynastic political families traded barbs on Tuesday over the issue of corruption and vote buying, raised by rookie congressman Leandro Legarda-Leviste in a privilege speech.

The Batangas lawmaker earned the ire of his colleagues in the House of Representatives – both from the administration and the opposition – when he delivered a speech accusing his fellow legislators of massive corruption and involvement in vote buying.

His speech was supposedly initially directed at his nemesis, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, whom he wanted removed, but he later went on to declare that “all” of his colleagues were guilty of vote buying.

Recto’s lawmaker-son, Rep. Ryan Christian Santos-Recto of Batangas’ sixth district, stood up to defend his father – a former senator and congressman – as well as his celebrity-turned-politician mother and now Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos.

“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,” the younger Recto argued.

Leviste, in his speech, alleged that there is a transactional relationship between the executive secretary and CWS party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola, who allegedly funded the campaign of the political slate of Vilma Santos in the 2025 elections.

“The plenary should not be used to state assumptions or accusations without enough basis,” Ryan Recto said.

“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,” the neophyte legislator pointed out.

Hearsay

Leviste admitted not having verified his accusations and that he was only stating information shared with him by other Batangas politicians whom he did not name. He urged his colleagues, however, 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.

An indignant Rep. Leila de Lima of the Mamamayang Liberal party-list also stood up to denounce Leviste’s speech and demanded that he withdraw his claim that all lawmakers had been involved in vote buying. Majority Leader Sandro Marcos intervened.

“While we appreciate the sentiments of the Honorable de Lima, I believe part of what she is espousing with regard to the contents of the speech was already covered by the motion in which parts of the speech be stricken off, in which there was no basis in fact or evidence,” Marcos said.

“I understand, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Majority leader, but we want it from the mouth of Rep. Leviste himself,” De Lima insisted.

“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.

Quezon Rep. David Suarez questioned the timing of Leviste’s vote-buying allegations. “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,” he said.

The chamber would later vote to strike out the privilege speech of Leviste, upon the motion of Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, who said the Batangas lawmaker’s speech “doesn’t appear to be a speech relating to a personal or collective privilege.”

Leviste ‘deranged’

In a statement released hours after Leviste’s privilege speech, Recto called the lawmaker’s allegations “lies” peddled by a “bitter brat” and a “deranged person.”

He said he did not want to dignify lies by someone “who lacks attention, lacks intellect and lacks love.”

Recto claimed that during their first meeting, Leviste offered P400 million and urged him to bribe his political rival to back out from the race. “I rejected it,” Recto said.

The executive secretary added that Leviste had offered P1 billion to dissuade his wife, Vilma Santos, from running in the gubernatorial race in Batangas and give way to him.

“Again, I rejected it. It was insulting. It was infuriating. My respect for his mother, a former colleague, is the only reason why I did not expose him and file charges,” Recto said, referring to Sen. Loren Legarda.

“His mother knows that I did not like the discussion so she apologized for it. In his twisted mind, everything is for sale: persons, dignity and position.”

Recto also claimed to have received reports about how Leviste allegedly engineered “a massive vote-buying operation in Batangas, unprecedented in history.”

“I would like to clarify that when Leandro won, he took his oath before me because he was repeatedly aspiring for one thing: to seize the thousands of hectares from the sugarcane hacienda in Nasugbu.

“I do not have the capacity to accommodate someone who can be considered a land grabber. I rejected it again.” – Alexis Romero