Members of the House of Representatives have taken a stand against Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, condemning his recent privilege speech for being unfounded and damaging.
During a plenary session last Tuesday, Leviste accused Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and CWS party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola of colluding to gather campaign funds inappropriately.
Deputy Speakers Paolo Ortega and Jay Khonghun criticized Leviste's speech, stating that it resulted in unfair accusations against other lawmakers.
Ortega emphasized that privilege speeches should be a platform for truth, not a means to propagate rumors. He stated, "Privilege is given to members so we can speak truth with courage, not so we can weaponize the floor for rumors, innuendo and baseless accusations."
Khonghun echoed these sentiments, stating that Leviste's actions were unparliamentary and damaging to the institution's reputation.
Calls for Accountability
Deputy Speaker Janette Garin criticized Leviste for not providing evidence to support his claims, urging him to file formal complaints if he possessed any proof.
If he has a complaint, he should lodge a proper complaint at the proper forum. But if you are only bringing stories, suspicions, and personal grudge, that is not accountability.
Deputy Speaker Janette Garin
Leviste had alleged that Gardiola spent around P1 billion in total campaign support for Recto and his son, vice gubernatorial candidate Luis Manzano, which sparked outrage among his colleagues.
In response to the accusations, Recto's son, Batangas Rep. Ryan Recto, challenged Leviste, insisting that discussions in the House should be based on facts.
Leviste faced further scrutiny from lawmakers, including Garin and Deputy Speaker David Suarez, who questioned the basis for his claims.
Leviste's Backtrack
Following the backlash, Leviste reportedly retracted his statements about widespread vote-buying during the session.
Executive Secretary Recto spoke out against the allegations, stating that Leviste's claims stemmed from a personal grievance related to a rejected bribe offer.
The guy is crazy and a liar.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto
Lawmakers continue to call for accountability and respect among colleagues, urging that privilege speeches should not serve as a platform for unfounded allegations.