DOE refers Leviste firm's case to OSG, DOJ for legal action

The Department of Energy (DOE) has referred the case of Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste’s solar energy firm to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for appropriate legal action.

According to Tina Panganiban-Perez’s report on 24 Oras on Wednesday, the DOE has canceled Solar Philippines’ contract covering 12,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity due to supposed non-performance.

The firm was also slapped with a P24-billion fine.

“We have referred this case to the Solicitor General as well as the Department of Justice, and we leave it to them for any legal action that they deem fit,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said.

She said the cancellation came after the company failed to respond to the DOE.

“December 2025 ang delivery date nito, and we only cancelled in December. Kasi noong ano na, talagang hindi na kami sinasagot—wala nang response, hindi gumagalaw. Kahit letter na lang, email na ‘we’re working on this,’ we didn’t get any communications,” she added.

(The delivery date for this was December 2025, and we only canceled it in December. By that time, they were no longer responding—there was no progress. Not even a letter or an email saying ‘we’re working on this.’ We didn’t receive any communication.)

However, the DOE clarified that not all of Solar Philippines’ contracts were canceled.

The firm delivered 11 megawatts of power, although this fell far short of the 12,000 megawatts it committed to provide.

The DOE said other companies also had their contracts canceled and were fined, but these firms are reportedly paying their penalties.

The total capacity covered by all canceled contracts amounts to 17,000 megawatts, she said.

The cancellation of these contracts affects ordinary consumers, as electricity supply and prices are impacted, according to the DOE.

“Bakit namin tinarget yung mga megawatts na ’yan, yung committed projects na ’yan? Because we are targeting a certain lowering of electricity prices. Ngayon, dahil hindi ’yan mangyayari—kasi ine-expect namin by 2023 na ang decrease sa generation price ay about P2 to P3—malaking bagay ’yon,” Garin said.

(Why did we target those megawatts, those committed projects? Because we were aiming to lower electricity prices. Now that this won’t happen—since we were expecting a P2 to P3 reduction in generation prices by 2023—that’s substantial.)

“If we stay as is, considering the contracts that have been canceled, then yes, we will have a problem,” she added.

GMA Integrated News visited the headquarters of Solar Philippines to seek comment, but failed to get a response.

Meanwhile, Leviste has yet to issue an official statement. In a Facebook post, he suggested that the cancellation of his firm’s contracts is retaliation for his previous exposés on alleged budget insertions by lawmakers.

said that since September, he had allegedly been warned that cases would be filed against him if he released the so-called “Cabral files,” prompting him to remain silent.

He said he would respond to the allegations at the proper forum.

The lawmaker also stressed that his funds came solely from his private business.

On the other hand, the DOE maintained that politics played no role in the cancellation of Solar Philippines’ 12,000-megawatt contract.

“We didn’t pick Solar Philippines just because there are political issues surrounding the owner. We have been doing housekeeping at the DOE because there are many contracts that are not moving,” Garin said.

Garin said that failing to terminate and fine Solar Philippines would have been even more political.

"The beneficial owner is a politician, a congressman—so we won’t fine him? While others who are not politicians are fined and they pay? We apply the same rules to everyone,” she said.

The DOE said it will leave it to the House of Representatives to discuss the fate of Solar Philippines’ franchise.

“If there are violations in the franchise granted by the House, then that franchise can be canceled,” said House Committee on Legislative Franchises chairperson Jeffrey Ferrer.

House Committee on Energy and Legislative Franchises member Rep. Terry Ridon echoed this, saying companies that failed to deliver power must be held accountable.

“Kailangan talagang pagbayarin ang lahat ng kumpanyang kumuha ng kontrata pero hindi nag-deliver ng kuryente sa ating mga kababayan. Kung kasama rito ang kumpanya ni Congressman Leviste, then they will have to face the consequences of non-delivery,” Ridon said.

(All companies that took contracts but failed to deliver electricity to the public must be made to pay. If Congressman Leviste’s company is included, then it must face the consequences of non-delivery.)—Vince Angelo Ferreras/MCG, GMA Integrated News