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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Castro on Leviste libel complaint: It is meant to silence me

Castro on Leviste libel complaint: It is meant to silence me

Published Jan 16, 2026 01:53 pm
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro and Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste (RTVM/Facebook)
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro and Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste (RTVM/Facebook)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the libel case filed by Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste against her was an attempt to silence her.
"Ang pagsasampa ng kasong ito ang tunay na paraan para ako ay matigil sa aking pagsasalita at pagtalakay sa mga issue (The filing of this case is the real way to silence me and stop me from speaking out and discussing the issues)," Castro said in a statement on Friday, Jan. 16.
Castro was referring to the comments she made over the solar energy company the lawmaker established and subsequently divested from.
The Palace official also questioned the real one behind the filing of the complaint.
"Ito ngayon ang tanong: Sino ang tunay na nasa likod ng pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa ’kin? Sino ang nais na mabusalan ang aking bibig? Sino ang lubos na makikinabang dito (This now raises the question: Who is truly behind the filing of the case against me? Who wants to silence me? Who stands to benefit the most from this)?" Castro questioned.
Castro also questioned whether her statements were maligning while that of the Ombudsman, which was the source of her statements, were not.
"Can we say that the statements of the Ombudsman are with basis and not maligning while my statements sourced from the Ombudsman are nothing but libelous?" she asked.
In filing the libel complaint, Leviste said he did not want to cause any harm to the Palace official, but he felt compelled to defend his name.
Castro, meanwhile, said she has not received the copy of the complaint as of Friday.

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Claire Castro Leandro Legarda Leviste
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