Leviste intends to personally post bail amid arrest warrant, spox says

Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste intends to return to the Philippines and personally face the court to post bail amid an arrest warrant against him, his spokesperson said Thursday.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Leviste’s spokesperson, Atty. Tony La Viña, was asked if the lawmaker will personally face the case and post bail.

“Oo. In general ang sagot ko, sa kaso kasi medyo subjudice na kasi ‘yan. Pero ang masasabi ko lang ay actually napakaliit ng kaso na ito. Tulad ng sinabi niya, this is a very small case,” he said.

(Yes. My answer to the case is in general because it is somewhat subjudice. But all I can say is that this case is actually very small. As he said, this is a very small case.)

“Almost insignificant. Bailable by 72,000 bail, very small penalty at lahat. So, in the scheme of things hindi naman ito ganun ka-importante from his point of view. Kaya naglabas nga siya ng statement na not to worry about him hindi naman siya abala dito hindi siya worried about this case,” he added.

(Almost insignificant. Bailable by 72,000 bail, very small penalty and all, so in the scheme of things, it’s not that important from his point of view. That’s why he released a statement saying not to worry about him, he’s not worried about this case.)

Leviste is in France with his mother, Senator Loren Legarda, who has been on medical leave since August 3.

Return

According to La Viña, Leviste has plans to return to the Philippines.

“Of course. I mean, eventually, uuwi naman yan siya kasama ng nanay niya,” he said.

(Of course. I mean, eventually, he will go home with his mother.)

“Right now lang talaga, kailangan siya ng nanay niya for the medical treatment of her mother. So, as far as I know, once tapos na yun. Uwi na siya. He is the only family of the mother,” he added.

(Right now, his mother really needs him for her medical treatment. So, as far as I know, once that's done, he will go home. He is the only family of his mother.)

La Viña also said Leviste would challenge any attempt to cancel his passport.

Asked about the possibility of an INTERPOL red notice, he said he did not expect it to apply to Leviste's case.

“From what I know, hindi siya applicable kasi (it is not applicable because) that applies only to very serious crimes,” La Viña said.

La Viña maintained that the case against Leviste was part of what he described as harassment or persecution against the lawmaker.

He linked the cases to Leviste's campaign against alleged corruption in flood-control projects.

The lawyer also defended Leviste's renewable-energy businesses, saying there was no wrongdoing in his solar franchise and service contracts.

He said the solar franchise was not implemented because the Department of Energy (DOE) had yet to issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations (IRR) and identify the locations where it could operate.

As for Leviste's service contracts, La Viña said some had been implemented while others had not, which he described as normal in the renewable-energy business.

La Viña said he had no information on whether Leviste would return to the Philippines ahead of or together with Legarda.

A Makati court has issued an arrest warrant against Leviste over an alleged violation of the Public Service Act.

Bail was set at P72,000.

EXPLAINER: What is the Public Service Act?

The DOE in May filed a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Leviste and five officials of the Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation (SPBC) for alleged violations of the Public Service Act.

According to the complaint, the firm failed to construct and provide electric power to customers and end users in remote, unviable, unserved, or underserved areas as provided under the company’s 2019 franchise, which Congress granted under Republic Act No. 11357.

The complaint identified Leviste as the firm's chairman, president, chief executive officer, and director.

Leviste has denied the allegations. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA News