The Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated criminal proceedings against Solar Para Sa Bayan (SPSB), a solar company established by Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste, citing a total failure to provide electricity to remote and underserved areas.
In a complaint submitted to the Department of Justice’s National Prosecution Service on Wednesday, the DOE called for the prosecution of officers from both SPSB and Solar Para sa Bayan Holding Corporation (SPBC). The agency alleges significant violations of the Revised Public Service Act. Beyond Leviste, the respondents include Antonio Legarda Sr., Benjamin Legarda, Antonio Legarda Jr., Hazel Iris Lafuente, and Irma Flaminiano.
The legal action stems from Republic Act No. 11357, which granted the firm a 25-year nonexclusive legislative franchise in 2019. The mandate authorized the company to build and operate microgrids and distributed energy resources using renewable technology to support the national goal of total electrification.
However, the DOE asserts that these obligations remain unfulfilled nearly seven years later. The complaint emphasizes:
“To this date, it has been almost seven (7) years since the legislative franchise was granted to SPSB/SPBC. During this period, the respondents, being the incorporators, directors, and/or officers of SPSB/SPBC, failed to comply with their obligations under the franchise.”
According to the DOE, there is no evidence that the firm applied for the required regulatory permits or licenses, nor is there any record of electricity actually being delivered to the intended beneficiaries.
The agency argued that the officers “knowingly and willfully” neglected their duty to provide power to customers in isolated regions.
Under the law, these violations carry heavy penalties, including fines reaching ₱22 million and prison terms of six to 12 years. Additionally, the franchise is subject to automatic revocation if a grantee fails to operate continuously for two years.
This legal challenge comes amid increasing scrutiny of Leviste’s various renewable energy projects, which have been expanding rapidly across the country under the Solar Philippines umbrella.