BICOL Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon on Friday rejected claims that some members of Congress received a P2 million “Christmas bonus” after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2026 national budget.
Ridon said the allegation made by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste was misleading, stressing that the amount in question forms part of the House of Representatives’ maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), not a personal bonus for lawmakers.
“I’m looking for this so-called bonus. First of all, Congressman Leviste has a pattern of lies, falsities, and inaccuracies, and this is yet another example,” Ridon said in an interview.
He explained that the funds are allocated to congressional offices to support official activities, programs, and district engagements, and are listed under extraordinary miscellaneous expenses.
“This is not money that goes into the congressman’s wallet or pocket, nor is it for personal whims,” he said.
Ridon added that the release of MOOE funds to lawmakers’ offices has been a long-standing practice, noting that it was already in place when he first became a legislator in 2013.
“This is regular across administrations and speakerships, and is typically released toward the end of sessions,” he said.
He also dismissed Leviste’s assertion that the P2 million was meant to secure support for the passage of the national budget, emphasizing that the funds are released regardless of how a lawmaker votes.
While Ridon said an ethics complaint against Leviste may not focus on the “Christmas bonus” issue, he noted that it could include allegations involving the purported illegal search of the Department of Public Works and Highways office in Batangas’ 1st District and the alleged unlawful acquisition of documents belonging to the late Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.
Leviste earlier claimed that some lawmakers received P2 million in cash during the final week of December following the bicameral report’s ratification. He also alleged that members of Congress receive as much as P20 million annually in MOOE and salaries, and suggested that the timing of the release raised public concern.
House Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City 1st District Rep. Ronaldo Puno has likewise denied the existence of a Christmas bonus, saying the funds are recorded, subject to Commission on Audit (COA) rules, and intended for district-level activities such as consultations, health programs, and community events during the holiday season.
Puno also rejected Leviste’s claim that an official from the office of House Appropriations Committee Chairperson Mikaela Suansing offered him P150 million in exchange for his vote in favor of the budget.