SENATOR Loren Legarda and her son, Batangas First District Representative Leandro Leviste, have left the country amid various controversies involving the younger lawmaker.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag said Legarda left for France, while Leviste flew to Hong Kong.
Senator Erwin Tulfo said Legarda is on medical leave.
In a press conference, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla expressed confidence that the mother-and-son will return “unless they want to come home in handcuffs.”
Remulla announced on Friday, July 31, 2026, that Legarda, Leviste, and former Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi will undergo a preliminary investigation over complaints for plunder, graft, and conflict of interest stemming from a controversial P10-billion solar energy project.
He said the complaints center on the alleged grant of exclusive rights over solar energy service contracts, which he claimed caused significant losses to the government and the public.
Remulla said Leviste’s project failed to deliver its intended commitments despite securing exclusive contracts covering large areas for solar energy development, claiming the arrangement prevented other investors from participating in the sector.
He said Legarda may have used her influence while serving as chairperson of the Senate finance committee to help her son secure an exclusive franchise when he was still in his early 20s.
Leviste, founder of renewable energy firm Solar Philippines, has long been one of the country's most prominent advocates of large-scale solar power development.
His company pursued numerous solar projects nationwide through solar energy service contracts and sought to accelerate the country's transition to renewable energy.
Leviste is also being investigated over the alleged “honeytrap” scheme that allegedly targeted several Cabinet officials. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)