Leandro Leviste has asked the House of Representatives for travel clearance covering nearly five months abroad, with an itinerary spanning close to 20 countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Australia.
In a letter to Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III dated January 30, Leviste sought permission to travel from February 8 to July 26, listing destinations that include the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
Leviste did not disclose the purpose of his extended trip but assured the House that it would not involve government resources.
“All consequential expenses arising from this travel shall be at no cost to this institution,” he wrote.
The request comes as the neophyte lawmaker faces scrutiny over his business dealings.
Former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza earlier accused him of securing a 25-year congressional franchise for Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation through “influence peddling” linked to his mother, Senator Loren Legarda.
This month, the Department of Energy imposed a ₱24 billion fine on Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc., a company founded by Leviste, for failing to meet its contractual obligations to deliver power.
Leviste, 32, also drew attention for claiming possession of the so-called “Cabral files” from the late Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, which allegedly implicated lawmakers in questionable flood control projects.