By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman is pressing Sen. Loren Legarda to account for her repeated medical leave as investigators pursue a preliminary probe into alleged graft and plunder involving government-awarded solar energy contracts.
Ombudsman spokesperson Renier Michael Clavano questioned why Legarda has repeatedly extended her medical leave instead of submitting to a single period of absence, despite Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian earlier saying the senator was suffering from a serious illness.
“Well, if she really has a serious illness, then she should have requested just one medical leave, rather than getting repeated extensions,” Clavano said Friday.
Legarda first went on medical leave on Aug. 3, shortly after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that she, her son Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste and former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi were being investigated.
Her leave has since been extended four times, with the latest extension reportedly keeping her away from Senate duties until Sept. 2.
But the Ombudsman’s concern goes beyond the senator’s absence.
Investigators are also questioning why Legarda and Leviste are reportedly outside the country while they are expected to respond to the allegations against them.
Leviste had secured a two-month travel authority from the House covering July 26 to Sept. 24.
Clavano said the simultaneous absence of mother and son had increased the agency’s suspicion, particularly because investigators have a standing order for them to submit their counteraffidavits.
“The fact that both the mother and son are out of the country adds to the speculation, or increases the suspicion, of the Office of the Ombudsman,” Clavano said.
The Ombudsman official urged the two to remain in the Philippines while the preliminary investigation proceeds.
“We hope that you (Legarda and Leviste) will remain in the country for now so that we can shed some light on what happened and allow the public to know the truth,” Clavano said.
He said their travel was being flagged because they chose to leave the country while facing a case that requires their response.
“It is really very suspicious that they are there [abroad], while they have a case here that requires them to answer and appear, and that they chose to leave the country at precisely this time,” Clavano added.
At the heart of the investigation are allegations that Legarda, Leviste and Cusi conspired to obtain exclusive government rights over solar energy resources through legislative and regulatory actions.
The Ombudsman has alleged that despite the government awards, numerous projects were not developed as promised.
It has also cited terminated contracts involving Leviste’s Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc., which investigators said left more than P10.44 billion in unpaid financial obligations to the government.
Leviste founded the company in 2013 and eventually secured more than 30 government service contracts.
Remulla has claimed that Leviste’s ability to obtain the contracts during the Duterte administration was linked to the influence of his mother.
Those allegations remain the subject of the Ombudsman’s investigation, and the respondents have not been found liable by a court.
Legarda has rejected the accusations outright, calling them “utterly false and baseless.”
“No public funds were involved. We are prepared to bring out the truth,” she said.
The senator described the allegations as a smear against her and expressed confidence that the investigation would ultimately clear her name.
“We remain confident that once the facts are laid bare, we will be vindicated and our names cleared,” Legarda said.
But as investigators await the respondents’ counteraffidavits, the Ombudsman’s questions over Legarda’s repeated medical leave and the overseas travel of both mother and son have added another layer to a widening controversy involving government contracts, billions of pesos in alleged obligations and accusations of political influence.
The next move now rests with the respondents: answer the allegations and present their defenses as the preliminary investigation moves forward.
ia/xf
