‘Positive’: NBI confirms Leviste, Legarda left country

MANILA, Philippines —National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag confirmed on Friday that Batangas First District Representative Leandro Leviste and his mother, Senator Loren Legarda, have left the Philippines.

This statement followed Leviste’s failure to honor an NBI subpoena on Thursday, August 6. The subpoena was issued regarding allegations that he and former congressman Jacinto “Jing” Paras participated in an alleged “honey trap” scheme directed at Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.

“He didn’t appear because he traveled; he left,” Matibag said over a radio interview on Friday.

“That’s positive; he left. Actually, Senator Legarda also left,” he emphasized.

According to Matibag, the bureau’s records show that Leviste and Legarda both left the country on Aug. 2 but on different flights.

“Congressman Leviste left on Aug. 2 for Hong Kong. The senator also left on Aug. 2, on a different flight via Hong Kong, but the final destination is France. So those are the details we have,” Matibag explained.

The INQUIRER has reached out to Leviste and Legard, but they have yet to respond as of this writing. /das

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