The Philippine Ombudsman says it is set to file a plunder case against Senator Loren Legarda and her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, before the Sandiganbayan soon. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla says the complaint is currently undergoing preliminary investigation before criminal charges can be formally lodged.
The allegations center on claims that the mother and son conspired to secure exclusive government rights over the country’s solar energy resources through legislative and regulatory actions, according to Ombudsman investigators cited by multiple outlets. The reported outcome of the alleged scheme includes more than ₱10.4 billion in unpaid financial obligations to the government. Both Legarda and Leviste deny the accusations, and Remulla reiterates that the case remains in the preliminary investigation stage as of his statements.
While outlets differ slightly in emphasis—one notes the power-supply context involving Leviste’s solar firm, and another focuses more directly on the alleged conspiracy and unpaid obligations—they all report the same status update: the Ombudsman expects to file the plunder complaint soon after the preliminary investigation phase concludes.
