The House Committee on Legislative Franchises has approved a motu proprio investigation into the franchise granted to Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation (SPBC), owned by Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste.
Committee chairperson and Negros Occidental 4th District Representative Jeffrey Ferrer confirmed that the motion filed by PHILRECA Partylist Representative Presley De Jesus was adopted without objection during Monday’s meeting.
“Marami din silang concern at tsaka questions that the franchise holder should answer,” Ferrer said, adding that the committee is awaiting authorization from the House Committee on Rules before scheduling the hearing.
“By next week siguro, pa-schedule na natin yung committee hearing,” he noted.
Ferrer recalled that De Jesus and APEC Partylist Representative Sergio Dagooc had opposed the passage of the SPBC franchise bill in 2017.
The measure was later signed into law by former President Rodrigo Duterte in July 2019 under Republic Act 11357, granting SPBC a 25-year franchise to establish solar power plants in underserved areas nationwide.
Leviste has since claimed that SPBC ceased operations in 2022, only three years after receiving its franchise. He also owns Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc., a stockholder of SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC).
The committee’s inquiry is expected to address questions surrounding the company’s operations and the future of its franchise.