Party-list lawmaker accuses CHED chair of issuing travel authority for own trips

A party-list lawmaker on Friday said Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chair Patricia Licuanan may be held liable for grave misconduct and usurpation for allegedly traveling abroad on official capacity without securing a travel authority from the Office of the President (OP).

On his Facebook account, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles posted photos of the supposed documents showing Licuanan's "Authority to Travel Abroad" which she issued for herself.

Nograles said that based on documents obtained by his office, Licuanan requested for seven "official business" travels and one " personal travel" and spent at least P893,102 in government funds.

The lawmaker said Licuanan’s actions were contrary to Executive Order (EO) No. 456, series of 2005, which required all "members of the Cabinet and officials of equivalent rank" to secure their travel authority from the OP.

"Usurpation of the powers of the President? Did CHED Chairperson Licuanan usurp the power of President Duterte by approving her own travel authority contrary to EO 459?” Nograles said.

"Grave misconduct is defined by the Supreme Court as flagrant disregard of established rules, among others," he pointed out.

Sought for comment, Licuanan said Nograles should first check his facts. She said she had always secured travel authority from the OP for all her trips, including personal ones.

“I issue travel authorities for all CHED officials but not for myself. I hope Rep. Norgales has been misquoted; but if not, he should definitely check his facts before he makes false accusations,” Licuanan said.

Copies of documents posted by the lawmaker shows Licuanan traveled to Thailand, USA, France, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, and Canada.

"She even traveled business class while our President travels economy," Nograles claimed.

Granting that Licuanan will argue that her attendance to conferences abroad were shouldered by the hosts, Nograles said such argument would be immaterial as the law requires her to secure the approval of the president.

"The fact that the requesting official is also the approving official is already irregular. What makes it illegal is that there is a violation of an EO which requires Chair Licuanan to secure her Travel Authority from the Office of the President. She should have sought either the approval of the Executive Secretary or the President himself," the congressman said.

Nograles said that unlike the case of MARINA Administrator Marcial “Al” Amaro III who was sacked by President Duterte for his excessive foreign travels, Licuanan is protected by a security of tenure being a "fixed-term" non-career appointee.

"The President cannot just remove chair Licuanan without cause as this is guaranteed under the Constitution but her latest action where she usurped the authority of the OP could be a basis for her removal or suspension," Nograles said.

“This can be also a ground to file charges of grave misconduct and usurpation of authority against Licuanan before the Office of the Ombudsman which could hound her even after her retirement this year,” he added. —NB, GMA News