Facing a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, Solicitor General Jose Calida on Sunday denied any wrongdoing in the multi-million-peso contracts that his security agency won from several government agencies.
The complaint, filed May 10 by a private citizen, Jocelyn Nisperos, said Calida violated the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees because his Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency had contracts with the National Parks Development Committee, the National Anti-Poverty Commission and the National Economic and Development Authority.
Reacting to the complaint, Calida said he did not violate the law because he resigned as president and chairman of VISAI before he became the chief state lawyer in 2016.
Calida noted that Section 9 of the Code of Conduct requires any public official to avoid any conflict of interest by resigning or divesting interest in any private firms or both within 60 days from assumption of office.
He said he had done this, and declared his interest in VISAI in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth when he assumed office.
He also said he did not violate Section 7 of the same law, which prohibits public officials from having a financial interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office or owning a private firm regulated, supervised of licensed by their office.
“There is no conflict of interest. The contracts between [VISAI] and the NPDC did not require the approval of the OSG. Also, the OSG does not regulate, supervise or license security agencies like Vigilant,” Calida said.
Calida also said all contracts of VISAI underwent public bidding in compliance with the Government Procurement Act.
Besides, the contract of his security agency with NPDC was awarded in July 2014 or two years before he assumed his post, he said.
“All subsequent contracts with NPDC were obtained through public biddings and were therefore above board,” Calida added.
In her complaint filed with the Ombudsman, Nisperos submitted Securities and Exchange Commission records showing Calida owns 60 percent of the security firm, while his wife and three children own 10 percent each.
The complainant alleged that Calida’s ownership of VISAI presents a conflict of interest, as stated in the Republic Act No. 6713.
Nisperos, a known supporter of ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, had earlier asked Calida’s office to initiate a quo warranto case against Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro the same way he did in the case against Sereno.
Calida rejected the request, citing lack of evidence that De Castro violated the law by not filing her complete statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.
