GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Calida sued at Ombudsman
Solicitor General Jose Calida has been slapped with a criminal complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday over his alleged conflict of interest, extramarital affairs, and alleged bias for the Marcos family.
In the complaint, Calida was accused of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.
A private citizen named Jocelyn Marie Acosta-Nisperos led the filing of the complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman.
Nisperos said the quo warranto petition of Calida against Sereno at the Supreme Court is unfair for the chief magistrate. She also scored Calida for rejecting her request that he also file a quo warranto petition against SC Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro.
"I am complaining as a private citizen, unabashedly a CJ supporter. I feel na unfair ang treatment niya with regard sa quo warranto because I also filed a quo warranto against De Castro. He outrightly dismissed my quo warranto against her in December," Nisperos said.
Nisperos accused Calida of having an affair with his 22-year-old executive assistant, who allegedly received P1.8 million in public funds as compensation.
She said Calida, who was confronted by his wife Milagros upon learning their affair, and his girlfriend have taken a leave of absence since their break-up.
"When Calida's wife found out about the affair and the corruption, she confronted him in his office last April 23. Calida and his alleged EA have since then taken a leave of absence from the OSG," Nisperos said.
"By divesting P1.8 million from public funds to whom he is having an illicit relationship with, Calida is guilty of malversation that is punishable under the (Revised Penal Code)," she added.
Nisperos, however, admitted of having no evidence on the alleged affair aside from her supposed "verified sources."
"I acknowledge we do not have hard evidence when it comes to the relationship. But the eyewitness reports are strong, very credible ang witnesses. We beseech the Ombudsman to investigate this relationship.," she said.
Conflict of interest
Futhermore, Nisperos said Calida failed to divest his 60-percent capital stock in their family business, a security firm named Vigilant Investigative and Security Security Agency Inc. (VISAI), when he was appointed as Solicitor General in 2016.
Milagros and their three children each own a 10 percent stake in VISAI.
Nisperos said VISAI bagged contracts from four government agencies -- the National Economic Development Authority, National Anti-Poverty Commission, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, and the National Parks Development Corporation -- due to its connection with Calida.
"Respondent engaged in unlawful, dishonest, and deceitful conduct. His bad faith is evident from his and his family’s continued ownership of VISAI with VISAI getting several government contracts," Nisperos said.
Nisperos also charged Calida for allegedly exhibiting "total bias" in favor of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos' family when he bared his intention to abolish the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the agency tasked to seize the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.
However, Nisperos failed to specify the supposed bias of Calida for the Marcos family aside from citing the statement of former PCGG commissioner Ruben Carranza.
Carranza had claimed that the Duterte administration has abandoned its responsibility in recovering the illegally-acquired wealth of the Marcoses.
GMA News Online is still trying to get Calida's comment as of posting time. —KG/NB, GMA News
