MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Loren Legarda has extended her medical leave once again, keeping her away from the Senate until August 19, according to Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr.
Bantug confirmed that Legarda’s office submitted a letter on Monday informing the Senate that the senator would be on medical leave from August 17 to 19. The latest extension means Legarda remains absent from both Senate sessions and her duties as a senator-judge in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The latest leave follows two earlier medical-leave periods. Legarda initially filed a medical leave covering August 3 to 5, then extended it to August 11 and 12, before submitting the latest request covering August 17 to 19.
LEAVE EXTENDED AGAIN
The development comes as Legarda’s continued absence draws attention because it coincides with a separate preliminary investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman involving the senator, her son Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, and former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
The investigation concerns allegations involving solar-energy projects and possible violations including plunder, graft and conflict of interest. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has alleged that Legarda’s position was used in connection with efforts involving solar power franchises linked to Leviste.
Those allegations, however, remain allegations. The Ombudsman’s action is a preliminary investigation, not a finding of guilt, and no conviction has been established against Legarda, Leviste or Cusi.
Legarda has rejected the accusations, describing them as false and baseless. She has also maintained that her medical leave was filed in accordance with Senate rules and should not be connected to the allegations against her.
HER ABSENCE FROM THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
Legarda’s extended leave also keeps her away from the Senate’s ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
As a senator, Legarda is among the members of the Senate who serve as judges in the impeachment trial. Her absence therefore means she has not participated in recent proceedings while she remains on approved medical leave.
Her absence has received additional attention because the senator was reported to have left the Philippines on August 2. The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that Legarda and Leviste departed separately. Reports said Legarda traveled to France via Hong Kong, while she later said her trip was for medical reasons.
Legarda previously urged the public not to make what she called “unwarranted conclusions” about her overseas trip, insisting that it was for medical purposes and unrelated to the Ombudsman’s investigation.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
For now, the immediate development is straightforward: Legarda remains on medical leave through August 19.
What happens after that date remains to be seen.
The senator could return to the Senate, request another extension, or provide additional information regarding her medical status. At the same time, the Ombudsman’s preliminary investigation into the allegations involving the solar projects continues separately.
The two developments should not be treated as the same proceeding: Legarda’s medical leave is an administrative matter involving her absence from the Senate, while the Ombudsman inquiry is a separate investigation into allegations that have yet to be resolved.
For a senator currently serving as an impeachment judge, however, every additional day away from the chamber carries political significance — particularly while the Senate is in the middle of a high-profile impeachment trial.
And with August 19 now approaching, the bigger question is no longer simply how long Legarda’s medical leave will last — but whether she will return to the Senate once it ends.
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