MANILA, Philippines — Batangas First District Representative Leandro Leviste acknowledged on Thursday that he remains the owner of a solar power company recently fined by the Department of Energy (DOE) for failing to fulfill its contractual obligations.
Leviste made the admission amid mounting controversy over the status and performance of his renewable energy ventures, particularly Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc., which was slapped with an estimated ₱24-billion penalty by the DOE for what regulators described as delays and non-performance under a series of service contracts.
The DOE’s enforcement action came after Solar Philippines failed to deliver the energy capacity it committed under dozens of renewable energy contracts — totaling nearly 12,000 megawatts — leading to contract cancellations and fines. The agency has referred the matter to both the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice for possible legal action to collect the penalties and pursue other remedies.
During the interview, Leviste said his ownership interest was properly declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), asserting transparency in his disclosures.
The lawmaker has come under scrutiny as the Ombudsman intensifies its probe into possible violations of the legislative franchise tied to his solar companies, including allegations of improper transfer or sale of rights connected to a franchise to provide microgrid services in remote areas.
Leviste, who transitioned from the private energy sector to public office, said in earlier statements that the regulatory actions against his firm are unrelated to his political positions and have denied any wrongdoing. He also has taken legal steps in other disputes related to public commentary on his business operations.
The DOE has maintained that its decisions are based on compliance issues, not politics, and is pursuing all avenues to enforce the law and protect the government’s interests in renewable energy contracts.
