MANILA — The camp of Sen. Loren Legarda and her son, Batangas 1st District congressman Leandro Legarda Leviste, has accused authorities of weaponizing the law against them, claiming that investigations into Leviste’s solar energy ventures are politically motivated and have created an impression of guilt even before formal charges have been filed.
Tony La Viña, Legarda’s spokesperson, rejected allegations of wrongdoing involving the senator and Leviste, whose solar companies are under scrutiny over government contracts and alleged failure to deliver power commitments.
“After intensive review, I am convinced that she and her son have absolutely not done anything illegal and even improper with respect to the solar energy business of the latter,” La Viña said in a statement.
“At worst, Leandro has been innovative and out-of-the-box as an entrepreneur. That should be rewarded, not punished,” he added.
La Viña stressed that the complaints remain at the preliminary investigation stage and that no formal charges have been filed against Legarda or Leviste.
“It bears emphasizing that no formal charge has been filed against Senator Legarda or Representative Leviste,” he said.
“Yet the Ombudsman’s public pronouncements convey the unmistakable impression that liability has already been assumed, notwithstanding that the matters involving them remain at the preliminary-investigation stage.”
The Office of the Ombudsman is investigating allegations involving Legarda, Leviste and former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi in connection with Leviste’s solar companies and their government contracts.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has alleged that Leviste’s companies failed to provide the solar power required under their agreements, describing the alleged undelivered supply as “ghost electricity.”
Investigators are also looking into allegations that legislative and regulatory powers may have been improperly used in securing the contracts.
Part of the investigation involves Solar Para sa Bayan Corp. (SPBC), which received a 25-year congressional franchise in 2019 to develop renewable-energy microgrids in unserved and underserved communities.
The Department of Energy earlier accused SPBC of failing to fulfill obligations under its franchise and filed a complaint with the Department of Justice in May.
The Ombudsman subsequently ordered Legarda and Leviste to submit counter-affidavits in response to plunder and graft complaints.
The DOE also filed a supplemental estafa complaint earlier this month against Leviste and two SPBC officials, according to the department’s legal officer.
Legarda has denied the allegations, calling them “utterly false and baseless.” She also said she had not received any communication from the Ombudsman.
La Viña rejected attempts to connect Legarda to her son’s companies merely because of their family relationship.
“The Senator does not own, run, or take part in Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation (SPBC) or any Solar Philippines company. There are no corporate documents showing her as a shareholder, officer, or beneficiary,” he said.
“Saying she’s connected to the business only because she’s the mother of a private businessman is pure invention.”
La Viña maintained that Legarda should be judged on her own actions rather than her relationship with Leviste.
“Responsibility is personal,” he said. “Senator Legarda should not be shielded from scrutiny because Leviste is her son. But neither should motherhood become evidence against her.”
He also maintained that Legarda did not vote for the passage of SPBC’s congressional franchise, which he described as non-exclusive and carrying no government subsidies.
La Viña said the franchise was never sold and could not be fully implemented because the DOE had yet to issue implementing rules or identify the areas where the company could operate.
He further claimed that investigations involving Legarda and Leviste intensified after the congressman publicly raised corruption allegations in late 2025.
“The timing speaks for itself,” La Viña said, describing the situation as “classic lawfare, the weaponization of the law for political purposes.”
“What is going on is clearly political persecution,” he said. “It has always been wrong. And it must stop now.”
La Viña argued that difficulties encountered in implementing unconventional business proposals should not automatically be treated as criminal conduct.
“Leandro introduced new ideas and approaches to fast-track the energy transition, and there may have been policy gaps that prevented the successful implementation of some of those ideas,” he said. “But that is not a criminal act.”/PN
