BATANGAS 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste confirmed over the weekend that he applied for a five-month travel authority from the House of Representatives, saying he was pushed to do so by some "representatives of the administration" to leave the country.
While Leviste said he was pressured to leave to stop him from releasing evidence linking government officials to anomalous flood control projects, the five-month period during which he wants to travel coincides with multiple ongoing investigations and regulatory actions involving his solar energy companies.
Leviste confirmed an online report that said he sought travel clearance from the House Secretariat for an overseas trip from Feb. 8 to July 26 — or 170 days — to 20 different countries across the globe.
Among the countries where the neophyte lawmaker wants to visit are the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Australia, the United Kingdom, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
In a message to reporters on Friday night, Leviste confirmed that he indeed applied for the travel authority.
"I asked for the travel authority upon the request of representatives of the administration who asked that I go abroad and stop releasing evidence linking government officials to anomalous DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) projects," Leviste said, without naming these "representatives."
He added that the request was made to his mother, Sen. Loren Legarda.
He added that he does not intend to be abroad for the whole time and will remain present at any opportunity that Congress gives him to speak on any issue as long as he is asked or allowed.
Leviste also said that he plans to visit countries where there is a significant Filipino community.
The House leadership has yet to respond to Leviste's allegations or even confirm that his request for travel clearance has been approved.
His accusation that he is being pressured to leave the country comes as the Department of Energy slapped his solar power companies with a P24 billion fine for failure to deliver on their promises.
In a post on his Facebook page on Friday, Leviste reiterated that he did not receive a single peso from the government and that the contracts that his company, Solar Philippines, are only permits for private investments.
He said that the P24 billion fine is not directed to Solar Philippines but to SP New Energy Corp., which he sold to the Manila Electric Co.
"I did not sell any franchise. The company that I sold to Meralco has no franchise, and I never sold my company that has a franchise. That is why I filed a libel case against [Palace Press Officer] Claire Castro because she is spreading fake news," Leviste said.
He also denied accusations that his solar company only delivered 2 percent from its projects, noting that even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. broke ground on his 3,500-megawatt solar project, the largest renewable energy project in the country and the biggest foreign investment in the country in 2025.
He reiterated that the difficulty in securing permits and harassment of businessmen are the main reasons some of his projects do not continue.
"This is a clear diversion to the real issues. We know that our enemies have big budgets to pay media and trolls, but we will not stop in our fight," Leviste said.
Summons
In a separate development, the Regional Trial Court Branch XI in Balayan, Batangas, has issued a summons against Castro after it gave due course to the libel complaint filed by Leviste.
Leviste is seeking P110 million in moral and exemplary damages, aside from P1 million in attorney's fees.
In the order written by presiding Judge Janalyn Gainza-Tang on Jan. 28, the branch's clerk of court was ordered to issue the summons to the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Manila Regional Trial Court, which has jurisdiction to Castro's address at Malacañang.
‘Meaningless statements’
Malacañang on Saturday shrugged off Leviste’s claim that the Marcos administration had asked him to “go abroad and stop releasing evidence” on anomalous flood control projects.
Castro said the administration would not waste time responding to such a "meaningless" allegation.
"The president and this administration are focused on more important national issues. President Marcos Jr. is concentrating on improving the country’s economy," Castro said in a statement.
"We do not give importance to meaningless statements. They are just a waste of time," the Palace official added.