Marilyn Cahatol

1st District of Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste speaks to the members of the press after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2026 national budget during a plenary session on Monday, December 29, 2025.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

REP. LEANDRO LEVISTE

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176811667904620251229-20th-congress-leviste-MT16.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="1st District of Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste speaks to the members of the press after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2026 national budget during a plenary session on Monday, December 29, 2025.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">1st District of Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste speaks to the members of the press after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2026 national budget during a plenary session on Monday, December 29, 2025.  <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em> </span></span></span> </div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) – An investigation is already underway into alleged franchise violations of a solar energy firm that Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste founded, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Saturday, following claims that the transfer of the franchise proceeded without congressional approval.</p><p>Ombudsman Remulla said in his radio program that the sale of Leviste&#x27;s controlling interest was not approved by Congress. </p><p>&quot;Walang consent ang Congress sa transfer ng franchise na &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>The Ombudsman also described the process as &quot;critical&quot; and that there were reportedly 84 &quot;cancelled contracts so far.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Yung prangkisa niya iniimbestigahan eh. Yung violation ng franchise. Dapat diyan yung franchise hindi mo ninenegosyo. Batang-bata ka ninenegosyo mo yung franchise? Wala ka bang kahihiyan?&quot; said Remulla.</p><p>He said that the national franchise of renewable energy is &quot;critical to the national life&quot; and should not have been flipped — bought then promptly sold for a profit — that easily.</p><p>&quot;Nanay mo pa senador? Yun ang pag-usapan muna natin bago ang lahat,&quot; he added.</p><p>Remulla said this has an impact on the national energy situation since the government initially had an energy forecast but it has since become a &quot;drawing.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Hindi nangyari. Kaya I refused to engage kasi nagbabago ang usapan; ang pag-usapan natin ang franchise niya,&quot; he said, referring to Leviste&#x27;s discussions on the so-called Cabral files that he allegedly got from former Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/8/ombudsman-shuns-talks-on-cabral-files-if-for-publicity-1429">&#x27;Pumunta siya dito&#x27;: Remulla dares Leviste to show up at Ombudsman after comments on &#x27;Cabral files&#x27;</a></div><p>Remulla did not name the firm in question. </p><p>He dared Leviste to show all the documents he had and mount a congressional probe.</p><p>Leviste founded the listed firm SP New Energy Corp. (SPNEC) but he earlier said he had <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/27/leandro-leviste-divests-shares-in-spnec-2116">divested before assuming office </a>in the 20th Congress.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MGEN ISSUES CLARIFICATION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In a statement, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN) said SPNEC &quot;is a separate and distinct corporate entity from Solar Para sa Bayan – which secured a 25-year fresh franchise in 2019. </p><p>It added that &quot;SPNEC&#x27;s business and operations, meanwhile, do not depend on the franchise of Solar Para sa Bayan.&quot;</p><p>MGEN said it did not acquire any shares from Solar Para sa Bayan (SPBC), which is also Leviste&#x27;s solar firm. It was SPBC which was awarded a congressional franchise through R.A. 11357 to construct and install and operate microgrids in remote areas, MGEN added.</p><p>&quot;MGEN is not privy to any transactions of SPBC nor to any circumstances that may relate to its compliance with its franchise,&quot; the statement read.</p><p>It also emphasized that MGEN&#x27;s investment in SPNEC &quot;did not violate any law or regulation.&quot;</p><p>&quot;As a publicly-listed entity, the transactions of SPNEC, including the entry of MGEN through its affiliates, have been scrutinized and approved by the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission,&quot; MGEN said. </p><p>Lawyer Christer Gaudiano, head of MGEN&#x27;s Sustainability, Corporate Communications, &amp; External Affairs, hoped their statement would counter the disinformation being spread on social media.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/17yBfzi3mzY?si=4cK3tm8VOflqZoNJ" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>An investigation is already underway into alleged franchise violations of a solar energy firm that Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste founded, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Saturday, following claims that the transfer of the franchise proceeded without congressional approval.</p>

An investigation is already underway into alleged franchise violations of a solar energy firm that Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste founded, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Saturday, following claims that the transfer of the franchise proceeded without congressional approval.

Ombudsman Remulla: Probe underway into alleged franchise violations by Leviste’s solar firm

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Ombudsman Remulla: Probe underway into alleged franchise violations by Leviste’s solar firm

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 11, 2026 03:57 PM PHT

|

Updated Jan 12, 2026 01:43 PM PHT

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Leandro Leviste

Jesus Crispin Remulla

SP New Energy Corporation

Solar Philippines

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