Senator Loren Legarda extends medical leave amid solar graft probe

Senator Loren Legarda has secured Senate approval for additional medical leave, extending her absences through September 2. This marks her fourth medical leave since the beginning of August.

These absences coincide with a preliminary investigation launched by the Office of the Ombudsman into Legarda and her son, Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste. The probe involves allegations of plunder, graft, and conflict of interest regarding a solar energy venture. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla stated that the investigation examines whether the lawmakers and former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi arranged exclusive government rights for solar resources through regulatory maneuvering.

The Ombudsman noted that several tied projects were never constructed, leaving the state with unpaid obligations exceeding P10.44 billion. Legarda has rejected the allegations, describing them as “false and baseless” and a smear on her decades of public service.