Leviste posts bail through lawyer — NBI

MANILA — Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste posted bail hours after a Makati court ordered his arrest on Wednesday over an alleged violation of the Public Services Act, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said. 

Leviste, who left the country in August, posted bail through his lawyer, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said.

“It was allowed by the court. Maybe the court exercised its discretion,” Matibag told reporters.

Leviste still has to attend the arraignment on Oct. 26, Matibag said.

“Otherwise, he will be issued a bench warrant na ‘di siya dumalo kasi personal na ‘yun,” he said. 

The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 235 recommended a fixed bail of P72,000 for Leviste.

The justice department said the information was filed on September 29 against Leviste, as well as Hazel Iris Buencamino and Irma Flaminiano as incorporators and corporate officers of Solar Para Sa Bayan Corporation (SPSBC).

Leviste’s spokesperson Tony La Viña said that the first-term congressman was facing a “complaint looking for a crime.” 

He noted that Leviste and his Solar Para sa Bayan company are accused of not implementing a franchise granted in 2019 and violating the Public Service Act.

But La Viña said the franchise is not a public utility covered by the Public Service Act and Leviste cannot be charged for allegedly violating a law that does not apply.

He added that the Department of Energy had failed to issue “the necessary rules and regulations required by the franchise” and identify where it could be implemented.

“Because of this failure, as provided by the law itself, the franchise was ipso facto revoked,” he said.

“Third, and this is more technical, you cannot invoke a general penal clause of a law without identifying specific provisions in the law which an accused has committed. In other words, ‘no harm, no foul’,” he added. 

In a Facebook post, Leviste said “this is a small matter” compared to other developments, but did not elaborate.

“Salamat sa lahat ng sumusuporta. Huwag niyo akong alalahanin, maliit na bagay lang ito kumpara sa ibang nangyayari. Kayo ang inaalala ko,” the lawmaker said in a statement.