DPWH Engineer Abelardo Calalo Posts Bail
ABELARDO CALALO – A district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Batangas, has posted ₱60,000 bail, granting him temporary freedom while facing serious corruption charges.
Calalo, 51, was arrested in Taal, Batangas, during a police entrapment operation after allegedly attempting to bribe Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste with more than ₱3.1 million in cash. Investigators said the money was intended to stop the congressman from pursuing an investigation into questionable flood control and infrastructure projects in the province.
According to police, Calalo initially handed over ₱3,126,900 in cash and promised another ₱15 million the following day. He allegedly went further, offering Leviste a 5 to 10 percent cut from the district’s ₱3.6-billion budget for 2025 projects, which could amount to ₱180–360 million. For 2026, he reportedly offered an even larger share—15 to 20 percent—claiming that such arrangements were a “standard operating procedure” within the DPWH.
What Calalo did not know was that his actions were already under surveillance. Congressman Leviste rejected the bribe and coordinated with police, leading to a sting operation that resulted in Calalo’s arrest. Authorities recovered the cash along with documents detailing ongoing DPWH projects.
Following the arrest, Calalo was placed in the custody of the Taal Municipal Police Station and later underwent a medical examination at Batangas Provincial Hospital. The provincial prosecutor is now preparing charges for Corruption of Public Officials under the Revised Penal Code, along with violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan quickly ordered Calalo’s preventive suspension and warned other engineers that bribery will not be tolerated. He stressed that any official caught engaging in corruption must face the full weight of the law.
Congressman Leviste, for his part, released a strong statement calling for an end to corruption in public works. He vowed to push for reforms that would ensure better-quality projects at lower costs and hold contractors accountable for substandard work.