MANILA — Malacañang declined to comment on the exchange of accusations between Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste, saying the matter is being treated as a personal dispute.

In a report, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. met with Recto recently, but the issue involving Leviste was not discussed.

“Ang Pangulo po ay nagkaroon po ng pagpupulong kasama si Executive Secretary Ralph Recto kahapon at hindi po ito napag-usapan,” Castro said in a briefing when asked about the matter.

“The President had a meeting with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto yesterday and this was not discussed,” she added.

Castro said any personal conflict between the two officials is not for Malacañang to intervene in.

“So, kung mayroon man silang personal na alitan, sa kanilang dalawa na lamang po iyon. At sa ating pagkakaalam ay sumagot na po si Executive Secretary Ralph Recto at basahin na lamang po ninyo kung ano ang mensahe ni ES Ralph Recto,” she said.

Leviste earlier accused Recto of allegedly receiving at least P1 billion in contractor-related funds, naming CWS Party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola as the alleged financier of the 2025 election campaign of Recto and his wife, actress Vilma Santos, when Recto was still Batangas 6th District representative.

The first-term lawmaker also alleged that some lawmakers were involved in vote buying and that campaign spending outside Batangas was significantly higher.

Recto issued a strongly worded denial, rejecting the allegations and saying he had turned down what he claimed was Leviste’s supposed offer of P400 million that would have been used to influence political rivals in the 2025 elections.

He also said Gardiola was only a colleague and former political opponent, and denied having any “ghost” or anomalous projects linked to him.