Legarda appeals for fairness, says travel unrelated to allegations

SENATOR Loren Legarda confirmed on Friday that she had filed for medical leave from the Senate covering the period August 3 to 5, amid public questions surrounding her recent overseas travel.

Her confirmation comes days after the Bureau of Immigration disclosed that she departed the country on August 2, just shortly after plunder and graft complaints were filed against her and her son before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Legarda appealed to the public not to draw unfair or unwarranted conclusions from her travels, stressing that the trip should not be linked to the allegations raised against her. “I ask the public not to draw unwarranted conclusions from my travel or link it to the recent false and baseless allegations, which undeservedly besmirch a reputation that I have built over decades of public service,” Legarda stated. She described the complaints as baseless, emphasizing that they unfairly damage her standing earned through years of service to the nation.

The senator’s explanation seeks to separate her personal travel from the ongoing preliminary investigation involving alleged irregularities in solar energy contracts. While acknowledging public interest in the matter, Legarda maintained her innocence and urged the public to withhold judgment. She has yet to provide further details regarding the nature of her medical leave or when she intends to return to the country and resume her legislative duties.