The Manila Times
THE Department of Energy (DOE) has filed a civil complaint against Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste before the Regional Trial Court of Taguig City, seeking to hold him accountable for the failure to deliver a solar project awarded under the government’s Green Energy Auction Program. In a 55-page complaint filed on June 2, the DOE said Solar Philippines Commercial Rooftop Projects Inc., along with Solar Philippines Southern Mindanao Corp., Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. and Leviste himself, did not honor obligations associated with the General Santos Solar Power Project, a 120-megawatt solar facility awarded under the first round of the Green Energy Auction Program to supply power to the Mindanao grid. The DOE said it is seeking damages and other relief from Leviste and his companies as the focus of its case is a performance bond valued at about P1.185 billion which was intended to guarantee the project’s completion. The DOE alleged that the bond was allowed to expire without replacement and that repeated government demands for compliance and payment went unanswered. It said despite formal commitments made under the energy program, the project failed to deliver the promised power generation capacity within the agreed timeline. The department argued that this failure undermined its efforts to expand renewable energy capacity and support the country’s energy security objectives. In addition to this, the agency described Leviste as the overall head behind the corporate defendants, stating that he owns 100 percent of Solar Philippines Commercial Rooftop Projects Inc. and exercised direct control over the companies involved in the project. The Energy department also argued that the corporate entities and Leviste operated as a single decision-making group in relation to the project. It said the complaint highlights the government’s view that compliance with awarded projects is essential to ensuring reliable and adequate energy supply for Filipino consumers, as the Green Energy Auction Program was established to accelerate the development of renewable energy projects and support the Philippines’ long-term energy transition goals.
Go to News Site