MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman found Sen. Loren Legarda’s repeated extensions of her travel authority for medical reasons “quite suspicious already” and said it is possible she and her son, Rep. Leandro Leviste, could seek asylum in France, spokesman Mico Clavano said Tuesday.
Clavano said Legarda was on what he believed was her third or fourth extension, prompting the Ombudsman to flag the matter as she faces an ongoing case before the agency.
“We need to flag that,” Clavano said, adding that the Ombudsman wants to err on the side of caution.
Meanwhile, Leviste obtained a travel authority for a two-month leave from July 26 to September 24, listing several countries he intended to visit.
Asked about reports that Legarda and Leviste were in France, Clavano said seeking asylum was possible, with political persecution being the only possible ground they could invoke.
The Ombudsman is about to issue an order directing Legarda and Leviste to file their counter-affidavits, Clavano said.
