Senator Loren Legarda on Friday denied any wrongdoing following the Ombudsman’s announcement this afternoon that plunder and graft charges are to be pressed against her and her son, Batangas 1st District Representative and solar power tycoon Leandro Leviste.

After Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla told the press the same day that Legarda and Leviste are undergoing preliminary investigation, Legarda released a statement claiming the accusations against her unfairly tarnish her reputation.

“Mula nang magsimula akong maglingkod sa bayan noong 1998, hindi ako kailanman lumihis sa landas ng integridad, isang katangiang lubos kong pinanghahawakan. Ang alegasyong ito ay isang hindi makatarungang pagdungis sa aking pangalan at dangal,”

Legarda called the allegations “baseless” and expressed her readiness to provide her account on the issue.

“Buong katiyakan kong sinasabi na ang mga ibinabalitang paratang ay lubos na hindi totoo at walang anumang batayan. Walang pondo ng bayan na sangkot. Handa kaming ilahad ang katotohanan,” she said in a statement.

The senator called on the public to exercise discretion, especially given the timing of the charges. Additionally, she expressed confidence that the “whole truth” will reveal that she is not guilty of either offense.

“Buo ang aming paniniwala na kapag nailahad na ang buong katotohanan, mapapawalang-sala kami at malilinis ang aming mga pangalan,” she said.

Earlier on Friday, Ombudsman Remulla told the media that Legarda, then serving as the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, pulled strings to secure an exclusive contract on solar power for her then 21-year-old son Leviste, who was yet to enter law school.