A tense confrontation erupted in the House of Representatives plenary after Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste accused several high-ranking officials of billions of pesos in vote-buying and excessive campaign spending during the 2025 elections.
Denials and Challenges
Quezon Rep. David Suarez strongly denied any involvement from his province and challenged Leviste to present documents or sworn statements as evidence. Deputy Speaker Janette Garin condemned Leviste's privilege speech as hearsay and lacking sufficient basis, filing a motion to expunge his statements from the official record.
Lawmakers Unite Against Allegations
Several lawmakers, including Rep. Leila de Lima and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, insisted that the plenary should not be used as a platform for baseless accusations. Rep. Ryan Recto defended his family against the allegations, stating that his relationship with Rep. Edwin Gardiola was purely professional.
Leviste stood by his claims, citing research and estimates, but the majority of his colleagues opposed him and voted to remove his statements from the official record.
