Leviste Identifies Eric Buhain as the ‘Big Fish’ in Bribery Scandal
Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste revealed that his predecessor, Eric Buhain – a former Olympic swimmer – was the “big fish” involved in a recent bribery controversy.
In an interview with Bilyonaryo News Channel, Leviste admitted that the district engineer arrested in an entrapment operation had directly implicated Buhain during their conversation. Initially cautious, Leviste confirmed Buhain’s name only after program host Pinky Webb mentioned it.
As of press time, Buhain has not issued any statement regarding the allegation.
Political Background
Leviste defeated Buhain in the last midterm elections. Buhain, who is the son-in-law of former military general and Arroyo administration executive secretary Eduardo Ermita, previously represented the district. Before him, his wife Eileen Ermita-Buhain also served as congresswoman.
Alleged Kickbacks
During the interview, Leviste further disclosed that the bribe offer could have reached 10% of a project’s total cost had he agreed to the deal.
He also cited the common practice in government projects:
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Horizontal projects (such as roads): commissions reportedly range from 15% to 20%
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Vertical projects (such as hospitals and buildings): commissions usually average 10%
The young lawmaker, whose declared assets reach ₱34 billion – largely from the sale of his solar company to Manny V. Pangilinan’s Meralco – emphasized that the arrested engineer described the kickback culture as widespread, saying “lahat ng mga projects ay meron.”
