Senator Legarda remains on medical leave due to serious illness, Senate President Gatchalian says

Senator Loren Legarda remains on medical leave due to a serious illness, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said Thursday, though he declined to discuss the specifics of her condition.

Gatchalian said he is aware of Legarda’s situation but respects it as a private matter.

“It’s a very personal issue,” Gatchalian said, noting that he and Legarda were friends long before her leave. He added that she had previously confided in him about her condition.

“Nasabi niya ‘yun na meron siyang sakit na seryoso (She mentioned that she has a serious illness),” he said.

According to the National Bureau of Investigation, Legarda left for France on Aug. 2 after filing for medical leave from Aug. 3 to 5. Her leave has since been extended through Sept. 2.

Her extended absence comes amid growing scrutiny. Legarda and her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, face an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman over ₱10 billion in plunder and graft complaints. The complaints allege that Leviste's renewable energy company failed to supply solar power mandated under its congressional franchise.

The Ombudsman noted that Leviste left for Hong Kong around the same time his mother traveled abroad after being granted a two-month travel authority through Sept. 24.

Gatchalian clarified that Legarda is not drawing her Senate salary while on leave.

“Nung nag-file siya ng medical leave, hindi na niya tinanggap ang sweldo niya (When she filed for medical leave, she stopped accepting her salary),” he said.

He noted that other absent lawmakers—including detained senators and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who remains in hiding—are similarly not receiving their salaries. Uncollected compensation, he added, is eventually returned to the Senate as savings and may be reallocated for other official purposes.

Gatchalian said he could not pinpoint when Legarda would return to work, emphasizing that her health condition must be taken seriously.

Legarda’s absence coincides with a crucial period for the chamber. Senators are currently sitting as judges in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, while also preparing for deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget alongside regular legislative business. -Paraluman News