MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman is preparing plunder and graft complaints against Antique’s Sen. Loren Legarda and her son, Batangas’ Cong. Leandro Leviste, as it intensifies its investigation into transactions involving Leviste’s solar energy companies.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced Friday that the complaints would be filed for preliminary investigation, a process that will determine whether sufficient grounds exist to bring the cases to court.
The development followed the Department of Energy’s (DOE) revocation of several contracts awarded to Leviste’s Solar Philippines after the company allegedly failed to deliver its committed power capacity within the agreed schedule.
The DOE also imposed a P24-billion penalty on the company following the cancellation of the contracts.
Leviste earlier defended the performance of the solar company he founded, saying it had significantly contributed to the expansion of renewable energy and the entry of foreign investments into the country.
“Ang kompanyang itinatag ko ay nakapagtayo ng pinakamalaking kapasidad ng renewable energy sa bansa at nakapagdala ng pinakamalaking foreign investment sa Pilipinas noong 2025,” Leviste said in January.
He also blamed the government’s treatment of businesses for weakening investor confidence in the Philippines.
“Kaunti ang namumuhunan sa ating bansa ngayon dahil sa pananaw na ginigipit ang mga negosyante,” he said.
Leviste acknowledged that several of his companies had failed to complete their planned solar energy projects but maintained that government actions contributed to the setbacks.
“That’s the nature of the business na lahat naman po ng mga kumpanya na alam nyo ay nagpaplano, gusto sanang kumita para magtayo ng bagong planta. Pero dahil sa hirap ng pagnenegosyo sa Pilipinas, ginigipit nga ang ibang mamumuhunan ng mga opisyal. Lumabas hindi lang ako, buong industriya, hirap at kinakansela ang sariling mga proyekto,” he said.
BONG REVILLA WINS BAIL BID
In a separate development, the Sandiganbayan Third Division granted Friday the bail petition of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in Criminal Case No. E-SB-26-CRM-0002, or People v. Revilla, et al.
The anti-graft court said prosecutors failed to establish that the evidence of Revilla’s guilt was strong in connection with the charge of malversation through falsification of public documents.
It ordered Revilla’s provisional release upon the posting of the required cash bond, unless he is being detained on another legal ground.
The Sandiganbayan, however, denied the bail applications of co-accused Brice Ericson Diaz Hernandez, Jaypee De Leon Mendoza, Arjay Salvador Domasig, Emelita Capistrano Juat, Juanito Coronel Mendoza and Christina Mae Del Rosario Pineda.
The court ruled that the evidence of guilt against the six co-accused remained strong./PN
