Kiko calls for Calida’s resignation, says there is conflict of interest

Senator Francis Pangilinan on Monday called for the resignation of Solicitor General Jose Calida, insisting that there is conflict of interest when the security firm owned by the Calida’s family bagged contracts with government agencies.

“It’s a similar conflict of interest case as (resigned Tourism) Secretary Wanda Teo but in his case, more government funds [are] involved  and government agencies of which he is the government lawyer,” Pangilinan said in a text message to GMA News Online when asked if Calida should quit his post.

Pangilinan's resignation call came even as 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.

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.

But in post on his Facebook account, Pangilinan said if Teo resigned because the DOT/PTV 4 favored her brothers' TV production company, Calida should also do the same.

He was referring to the P60 million payment to broadcaster Ben Tulfo's Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. (BMU) for DOT advertisements aired on his "Kilos Pronto" program on PTV 4.

Teo earlier denied that she had a hand in PTV 4's decision to place the DOT's advertisements on her brother's program and said the project went through a bidding process and was reviewed by the DOT legal department.

“Solicitor General Jose Calida, the lawyer of the government, should resign as well for P150 million worth of government contracts in the Department of Justice, (Office of the Solicitor General 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.

“Family TV production company. Family Security agency. Same same. Halos times three nga lang yung halaga nung kay Calida. Simple lang,” he added.

Documents obtained by GMA News Online showed Calida's wife, Milagros, in her capacity as chairperson and president of VISAI, signed a contract with the NPDC in June 2017 and another in January 2018 for security services for the Rizal Park and the Paco Park.

These deals cost P10.3 million and P29.2 million, respectively.

Calida's camp, however, said there was nothing irregular with the deals worth a total of P39.5 million because these underwent public bidding. — RSJ, GMA News