The Makati City Regional Trial Court has ordered the arrest of Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste for allegedly violating the Public Service Act.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed the arrest warrant to reporters on Wednesday morning and provided a copy of the document.
Based on the document, the Makati RTC Branch 235 issued the warrant on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. It was signed by Presiding Judge Ricardo Moldez II.
The warrant set Leviste’s bail at P72,000.
Leviste’s case stemmed from the Department of Energy’s complaint filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in May against him and five Solar Para Sa Bayan Corporation (SPSBC) officials for supposedly failing to deliver electricity to remote and underserved areas, despite securing a legislative franchise.
DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez, in a Viber message to reporters, confirmed that an information was filed before the Makati RTC last Sept. 29 against Leviste and SPSBC incorporators and corporate officers Hazel Iris Lafuente Buencamino and Irma Flaminiano.
‘The filing of the informations stemmed from a finding of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction that SPSBC willfully neglected and intentionally failed to comply with its obligations under its legislative franchise,’ Martinez said.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said in an interview with reporters that Leviste’s two co-accused went to the Makati RTC this Wednesday to post the required P72,000 bail, adding that their arraignment was set for October 26.
Matibag likewise said Leviste must also personally go to the court to post bail.
‘Just a small thing’
Following the announcement of the arrest warrant, Leviste addressed his supporters on social media.
‘Salamat sa lahat ng sumusuporta. Huwag niyo akong alalahanin, maliit na bagay lang ito kumpara sa ibang nangyayari. Kayo ang inaalala ko,’ Leviste said.
(Thank you to everyone showing support. Don’t worry about me; this is a small matter compared to other things happening. It is you I am concerned about.)
Meanwhile, Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Anisha Hassan confirmed to the INQUIRER that Leviste is still out of the country.
Leviste was last reported to be in France with his mother, Sen. Loren Legarda, after they traveled abroad on Aug. 2.