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Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste has maintained that his ownership of solar energy companies does not violate the Constitution’s ban on lawmakers holding financial interests in government-linked contracts or franchises.
The neophyte lawmaker issued the clarification as he filed a libel complaint against Palace press officer Claire Castro, who had publicly questioned his business dealings in her online program. Leviste said the statements were “defamatory and misleading,” prompting him to seek ₱110 million in damages before the Balayan Regional Trial Court in Batangas on January 16.
Ownership Confirmed
Leviste confirmed that he remains the owner of Solar Philippines Power Holdings Inc. (SPPHI), which has shares in SP New Energy Corp. (SPNEC). He said his continued ownership was consistent with Article 6, Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution, which prohibits lawmakers from having financial interests in government franchises or contracts.
According to Leviste, his shareholdings were all declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), and he has refrained from participating in any legislative work related to the energy sector.
“I have taken great care not to join discussions or legislation involving the energy industry,” he said. “If ownership of shares in companies that have dealings with the government were prohibited, then that would affect many others in public office.”
He also stressed that he has avoided involvement in the House committee on energy to prevent any conflict of interest.
Answering DOE Violation Claims
The Batangas representative’s statement came after his company, SPPHI, drew attention for a ₱24-billion fine imposed by the Department of Energy (DOE) for allegedly failing to meet its obligations under more than 30 service contracts.
Leviste denied the allegations, saying the projects in question had not been granted permits to proceed. He added that the DOE’s action appeared to apply only to SPNEC, a listed company in which he no longer holds management or operational control.
“I’ve always been transparent about my ownership interests in these companies,” he said. “I have been very careful to avoid any discussions about companies I have an interest in.”
Solar Firm Transactions
Leviste’s libel suit against Castro centers on her statements alleging that he sold a company with a legislative franchise. The lawmaker clarified that Solar Para Sa Bayan Corp. (SPBC), a social enterprise granted a 25-year franchise in 2019 to build and operate microgrids nationwide, was not the firm sold to Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen).
He said the sale involved SP New Energy Corp. (SPNEC), a subsidiary of SPPHI, from which he divested approximately ₱13.8 billion in shares to MGen in October 2025.
Leviste argued that Castro’s claims were misleading and contributed to public confusion about his compliance with the law.
Conflicts of Interest
Amid questions about potential conflicts of interest, Leviste urged Congress to take a wider look at members’ business interests.
“Let’s look at the disclosures of the 318 members of Congress and what the relationships of the companies they own are with government contracts,” he said.
Leviste added that public officials should be judged by the transparency of their disclosures and adherence to ethical safeguards, not by assumptions based on ownership alone.
Source:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2169474/leviste-admits-ownership-of-power-firm-fined-by-doe
https://www.rappler.com/business/leviste-denies-profit-sale-franchise-manny-pangilinan-meralco
