MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is set to file a request for a red notice against Batangas lawmaker Leandro Leviste who has an arrest warrant issued by a local court, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday. “Yes. Issued by the Makati Presiding Judge this morning,” Remulla told reporters during the blessing and turnover of Unified 911 Emergency Response Motorcycles at Camp BGen Vicente P. Lim, Calamba City, Laguna.
“Bail has been set to P72,000, said Remulla.
Speaking in Filipino, Remulla said they have applied for the red notice before the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC).
Judge Ricardo Moldez II of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 235 issued the warrant on Monday for alleged violation of the Public Service Act for over alleged ghost projects.
Leviste left the Philippines on Aug. 2 and was last reported to be in France with his mother, Sen. Loren Legarda, who is undergoing medical treatment, according to spokesman Tony La Viña.
Bureau of Immigration spokesman Anisha Hassan also confirmed to The Manila Times that Leviste was out of the country based on records.
Remulla urged Leviste to go home and relayed the same message to former speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his wife Rowena. “Face the charges, face the accusations. Walang nagagawa ‘yang nagtatago eh ("Hiding gets them nowhere),” Remulla said.
