The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said that Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste and his mother, Senator Loren Legarda, left the country with the congressman departing for Hong Kong before the bureau served him a subpoena in its ongoing fact-finding investigation. 

Atty. Melvin Matibag, NBI director, in a radio interview, said immigration records showed that Leviste left the Philippines on 2 August for Hong Kong, while the senator also departed on the same day on a separate flight that transited through Hong Kong before proceeding to France.

Matibag confirmed the flight of the mother and son, saying the two left the country.

The NBI chief said the two took separate flights, adding, “Magkahiwalay po. Si Leandro, umalis ng 2 August. Papuntang Hong Kong, yan po ang kanyang biyahe. Si senator po, 2 August din magkaiba na flight via Hongkong pero ang final destination is France. So yan po ang details na nandyan,” Matibag said.

He also confirmed that the subpoena issued to Leviste was prepared only after the congressman had already left the country.

Matibag said the subpoena for Leviste was issued Monday.

He said the departure of Leviste preceded the issuance of the subpoena.      

Matibag said that even if Leviste had already left the country, the congressman was still able to retain legal counsel after the subpoena became public.

He said the subpoena was made public this Friday but Leviste was able to engage a lawyer.

“May lawyer siya na ininegage. So kung umalis na po siya 2 August at na-receive ang subpoena, nakakuha pa siya ng abogado na may pinasa na sulat, humihingi po ng documents pa ang abogado niya sa amin,” Matibag said.

To recall, the lawyer of the solon wrote the NBI requesting copies of documents and information on the nature of the investigation but the NBI denied the request by citing the confidentiality of the ongoing fact-finding inquiry.

However, the NBI said the congressman would be given an opportunity to appear before investigators on a reset schedule.

The NBI have invited Leviste and former Negros congressman Jacinto “Jing” Paras in connection with its investigation into an alleged plot to frame Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.

Likewise, the NBI has clarified that both are not yet respondents or persons of interest but are currently considered resource speakers as the bureau continues its case build-up. 

Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman has filed plunder and graft charges against Legarda and Leviste in connection with the alleged irregular implementation of solar energy projects worth about P10 billion.

It stemmed from allegations that the two conspired to obtain government contracts and other benefits through legislative and regulatory actions involving the country’s solar energy resources.