BALAYAN, Batangas — A regional trial court in Batangas has ordered the issuance of summons in the ₱111-million civil damages suit filed by Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Antonio Legarda Leviste against Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Clarissa “Claire” Angeles Castro-Seechung.
In an order dated January 28, 2026, Branch XI of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Balayan confirmed that the case was formally raffled to the branch and gave due course to the complaint filed under Article 33 of the Civil Code.
Leviste is seeking a total of ₱111 million in damages, consisting of ₱100 million in moral damages, ₱10 million in exemplary damages, and ₱1 million in attorney’s fees, exclusive of litigation costs.
The court directed the branch clerk of court to issue summons to Castro, whose office address was listed at the New Executive Building inside the Malacañang Compound in Manila. Since the address is outside the territorial jurisdiction of the Batangas court, the judge ordered that service of summons be coursed through the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Manila RTC, in accordance with Office of the Court Administrator Circular No. 149-2021, which governs the service of court processes beyond a court’s territorial jurisdiction.
The court also instructed Leviste’s counsel to file a notice of appearance pursuant to the amended Rules of Court.
The case stems from statements allegedly made by Castro in a January 10 episode of her YouTube vlog, “Batas with Atty. Claire Castro,” which discussed Leviste’s former solar power business and raised issues involving franchise rules.
Leviste alleged that the vlog falsely suggested he had improperly sold or “flipped” a congressional franchise without legislative approval and implied that the franchise was granted as a political favor during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The lawmaker has denied the allegations, saying no legislative franchise was sold and that the transaction involved a separate corporate entity that did not hold a congressional franchise. He said the statements damaged his reputation and subjected him to public ridicule.
The case remains pending, awaiting service of summons on the defendant.|
