Palace: No conflict of interest in Calida security agency bagging contracts

Malacañang on Monday defended Solicitor General Jose Calida from allegations of conflict of interest after the security firm owned by his wife bagged contracts with government agencies after he assumed office in 2016.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said it was not illegal for Calida to own shares of Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency Inc. (VISAI) found to have bagged government contracts.

"He resigned all his corporate posts before he became SolGen and I don't think mere ownership of stock certificates is prohibited by the Constitution," Roque said.

"You have to be part of management to be guilty of violating Section 13 [of Article VII of the Constitution] and this is also mirrored in RA (Republic Act) 6713."

Roque also said "mere stock ownership is not prohibited for as long as you declare it in your SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) and right now the situation for SolGen Calida is he acknowledged that he has stock ownership but he’s not exercising any management powers in the company."

He said conflict of interest arises if Calida was the approving authority of the multi-million peso contracts.

"If it's not in his office, then I don't see the conflict of interest. But I could be wrong. I'm sure this matter will be pronounced upon by our courts," Roque said.

According to Roque, Calida’s critics only want to get back at him for spearheading the petition that led to the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno by the Supreme Court early this month on the ground of lack of eligibility.

"Binabawian siya ng mga kalaban niya, 'yung mga nasaktan doon sa ruling ng quo warranto, obvious naman 'yan," Roque said.

VISAI was reported to have secured contracts with National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) from 2016 to 2018.

That firm allegedly bagged contracts from these state bodies due to Calida's alleged influence forms part of a graft complaint against him at the Office of the Ombudsman.

Other charges include an alleged extramarital affair and bias for the Marcos family. —KBK, GMA News