THE Office of the Ombudsman has opened a plunder and graft investigation against Senator Loren Legarda and her son, Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste, in connection with alleged irregularities involving roughly ₱10 billion in renewable energy projects.
The probe stems from complaints that Leviste’s firm, Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation (SPBC), failed to deliver on its mandate to provide solar power under a congressional franchise granted in 2019.
During a press briefing on Friday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla described the case as a scheme that deprived the country of much‑needed energy services. “We really suffered due to their actions. They secured exclusive solar power contracts. This is ghost electricity,” Remulla stated. He added that the firm made commitments and marketed its services but largely failed to fulfill them: “They promised to deliver, but they did not do what was pledged. If anything was done at all, it was very little.”
Remulla alleged that Legarda’s influence was key to securing the franchise. He noted that in 2019, when the law granting SPBC its authority was passed under Republic Act 11357, Legarda chaired the Senate Committee on Finance. “Leviste would not have obtained that franchise without the help of his mother,” the Ombudsman said, pointing to the link between her position and the legislative approval given to the company.
Earlier, the Department of Energy filed a complaint with the Department of Justice against Leviste and five other SPBC officials for alleged violations of the Public Service Act. The DOE accused the firm of failing to build facilities and supply electricity to remote, underserved, and unserved communities as required by law. The Ombudsman’s investigation now expands the scope to determine whether public funds were misused and whether undue influence was exercised to secure and maintain the franchise.
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