(Eagle News) — Senator Francis Pangilinan on Monday, May 28, called for the resignation of Solicitor General Jose Calida amid reports the security agency of his wife bagged contracts in at least four government agencies since he assumed the post in 2016.
“If (Tourism) Secretary Wanda Teo resigned because the DoT/PTV 4 favored her Tulfo brothers’ TV production company to the tune of P60 million worth of government contracts(Calida), the lawyer of the government, should resign as well for P150 million worth of government contracts in the DoJ (OSG is an attached agency), Pagcor, NEDA etc that went to the security guard/agency belonging to his wife and children (kasi nag resign na daw siya),” Pangilinan said in a Facebook post.
“Family TV production company. Family Security agency. Same same. Halos times 3 nga lang ‘yung halaga nung kay Calida,” he added.
On Saturday, Calida denied the allegations of conflict of interest, saying he resigned as president and chair of Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency Inc. prior to assuming office.
He said this was in compliance with Republic Act 6713, which says that a public official should “resign from his position in any private business enterprise within 30 days from his assumption of office.”
He added all the contracts underwent public bidding “in which Vigilant submitted the lowest responsive bid in accordance with the Procurement Act (RA 8184).”
“There is no conflict of interest. The contracts between Vigilant and the NPDC did not require the approval of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG). Also the OSG does not regulate, supervise or license security agencies like Vigilant,” he said. Meanne Corvera