THE subordinates of Commission on Higher Education chairwoman Patricia Licuanan have staged a virtual coup against her, with the agency’s cxecutive director, Julito Vitriolo, walking out during Monday’s national directorate meeting and urging President Rodrigo Duterte to appoint Commissioner Prospero de Vera as officer-in-charge.
Vitriolo, the highest ranking career official inside the agency, along with 16 other career officials issued a manifesto of support for the Duterte administration and called for the ouster of Licuanan, who was recently barred by the President from attending Cabinet meetings.
During the national directorate meeting, Vitriolo left after questioning Licuanan’s legitimacy in convening the national directorate meeting of the agency’s 26 directors, citing her lack of mandate in the agency since the President no longer considers her his alter-ego.
“I have a position on the matter that she doesn’t have the mandate anymore since the President removed her already in the Cabinet. Cabinet members serve at the pleasure of the President and as alter-egos should enjoy the trust and confidence of the President,”
Vitriolo told Manila Standard after leaving the national directorate.
“Since that’s the case, I think she no longer has legitimacy and that’s why we have a manifesto asking President to now appoint an OIC or regular chairman to prevent further demoralization in the CHED,” he added.
Vitriolo asked Duterte, through a December 9 letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to name former UP Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Prospero de Vera, his lone appointee in the commission, to act as officer-in-charge in lieu of Licuanan.
“We humbly request that to stabilize the situation in the commission and thus, gain back its credibility and respect from stakeholders, the Office of the President now designates in the interim the newly appointed conmissioner to act as officer-in-charge who enjoys your trust and confidence, pending the appointment of a regular chairperson of your own choice to truly act as your alter-ego in the commission,” Vitriolo said.
“Moreover, to date, there is only one commissioner appointee or designate coming from your administration who is the only one openly and aggressively pursuing your programs in the commission,” he added.
De Vera, who took his oath as CHED commissioner on September 12 was reportedly lobbying the President to name him as CHED chairman, even joining foreign trips and some of Duterte’s meetings with education officials. In his letter, Vitriolo said the newly appointed commissioner enjoys the President’s trust and confidence.
Vitriolo also accused Licuanan of “gross insubordination” for defying Duterte’s order for her to submit her courtesy resignation.
Vitriolo said Duterte’s order for Licuanan to stop attending Cabinet meetings has put CHED in peril as it appears she is “usurping the authority and power of the CHED chairmanship” since it is obvious that the President no longer has trust and confidence in her.
Licuanan, who is serving a fixed term that ends July 2018, has maintained that she will not resign, despite receiving a directive from the President, through Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., for her to desist from attending Cabinet meetings starting December 5.
