Former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste who was recently released on parole submitted documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prove that he is not the owner of the ranch where the police seized P420-million worth of shabu and arrested three suspects.
His lawyer Cristina Buendia furnished the documents to the office of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.
The documents showed that the ranch is owned by his relatives and being managed by his brother Conrad as corporate treasurer.
Leviste’s lawyer also submitted articles of incorporation and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) documents of his relatives’ firm LBJ Development Corporation. The said documents showed that his relatives Lauro and Jose Leviste are the original incorporators of LBJ.
Also included are contract of lease for the 10,000-square meter property executed by LBJ through its administrator Benedicto Orense and a certain Jorge Torres on June 18 last year for P18,150 per month and had paid P221,100 for one year period in advance.
“We wish to state for the record that the subject property is not owned by Antonio Leviste. For the information of the honorable office, the LPL ranch estate is a 100-hectare farm subdivision developed independently by Mr. Conrad Leviste, who either sold or leased out parcels of lots to various individuals,” Leviste’s two page letter stated.
“We appeal to the authorities and the media to be circumspect in dispensing information that may prove to be incorrect as this incident has not only caused great emotional damage to the innocent persons involved, but has also put the family of Antonio Leviste in danger by falsely implicating them in illegal drug operations,” Leviste, through his counsel further stated.
Reports earlier stated that Leviste may be in danger of losing his parole after the drug raid in the ranch. He was only released last month after the Board of Pardons and Parole approved his application.
Among the conditions included in Leviste’s parole is not to take part in any illegal activities.
The DOJ, through investigating Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, issued summons requiring Leviste as well as his brother Conrad in a hearing on January 9.
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