Leandro Leviste must first subject himself to court to post bail -- DOJ spox

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Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez on Wednesday said Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste must first subject himself to the court before he can post bail.

This comes following the Makati court’s issuance of an arrest warrant against Leviste over an alleged violation of the Public Service Act.

“As a general rule, an accused must first submit to the jurisdiction of the court, either through arrest or voluntary surrender, before bail may be granted,” Martinez told reporters.

“Thus, if the accused is abroad, he would have to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the court before he may avail himself of bail,” he added.

According to the Department of Justice, bail is fixed at P72,000.

Leviste is in France taking care of his mother, Senator Loren Legarda, who is on medical leave, his spokesperson said last September 25.

Meanwhile, Martinez said it is too early to say whether any action will be taken regarding Leviste’s passport.

“Under the New Philippine Passport Act, there are specific grounds for the cancellation of a passport, including when the holder has been convicted of a criminal offense or has been declared a fugitive from justice, in both cases upon order of the court,” he said.

“Neither circumstance is present at this time,” he added.

The DOJ said the case stemmed from a finding of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction that SPSBC willfully neglected and intentionally failed to comply with its obligations under its legislative franchise.

Leviste earlier said the Energy Department's allegations against him are baseless and a threat to public entities, including media organizations.

“The only complaint I’ve seen is from the media, and based on that, I can say: super duper hina,” Leviste said. (The complaint is very weak.)

Leviste said the DOE suit sets a precedent for future administrations to file nuisance complaints against officers and directors of public utilities in the Philippines. — RSJ, GMA News

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