Paroled Leviste faces new probe

MANILA, Philippines – Former Batangas governor and ex-convict Antonio Leviste, who was granted parole recently, will be asked to explain why his property was used by a suspected drug cartel that was busted on Christmas day.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Thursday, December 27, said prosecutors need to find out if Leviste tolerated the activities of 3 people caught in his farm in Lipa City, Batangas, with 84 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, popularly known as “ice” or “shabu,” as well as two firearms. (READ: PH boosts efforts to probe Mexican drug cartel)

Prosecutors will subpoena Leviste to produce the lease contract of the sprawling ranch, which police said had been turned into a shabu laboratory, De Lima told reporters.

“Kung mapatunayan na alam nya yan (Leviste) at tinolerate din nya, that would constitute a serious violation of his parole,” De Lima said. “So pwedeng maging grounds yan to withdraw or cancel the parole.” (If it will be proven that he knew about the activities and tolerated them, this would constitute a violation of his parole. This could be used as grounds to withdraw or cancel his parole.) 

De Lima stressed however that this will all depend on how Leviste will explain his side.

Leviste and 34 other prisoners were granted parole on December 6. President Benigno Aquino III himself said he was surprised by the decision and ordered a probe. 

De Lima earlier admitted her department might have committed lapses in granting Leviste parole. While in jail in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa (NBP), the former husband of Senator Loren Legarda was exposed for being allowed to leave the prison compound. Prison officials who granted him this privilege were dismissed, but Leviste was acquitted of charges of evasion of service of sentence.

Leviste was first detained in 2007 in a local jail – the year he shot his longtime employee Rafael de las Alas in Leviste’s office at the LPL Tower in Makati.

After he was found guilty of homicide by a Makati court in 2009, he was brought to the NBP. He served the minimum sentence of 6 years. – Rappler.com