The House Ethics Committee may look into the continued absences of Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste if he fails to provide a valid reason for repeatedly missing congressional sessions, House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said.
Ortega said the Ethics Committee is the appropriate body to determine whether sanctions should be imposed on Leviste over his prolonged absence.
“I think ang proper na mag-look into it, look into that is yung Committee on Ethics. Siyempre yun naman ang parang pulis namin dito sa loob ng Kongreso. At yung walang paliwanag yung patuloy na hindi pagpasok or absent, eh dun po talaga. Pero as of now parang wala pa akong naririnig dun sa sitwasyon niya,” Ortega said.
The House has yet to issue a statement on whether Leviste was granted official travel authority for his departure from the country and until when such authorization, if any, remains valid.
Leviste reportedly left the Philippines on August 2 with his mother, Senator Loren Legarda. Information from the National Bureau of Investigation placed the mother and son in Germany.
Their departure came amid controversies involving both lawmakers and their families. The NBI is reportedly preparing a qualified human trafficking complaint against Leviste and former Congressman Jing Paras over an alleged plan to carry out a “honey trap” targeting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
Legarda, meanwhile, has also faced scrutiny in connection with her son’s business interests after a solar power company reportedly failed to comply with its government contract.
Ortega said the House Ethics Committee could take action if Leviste’s continued absences are found to have no valid justification, although he acknowledged that he had yet to receive any update regarding the matter.
