By Camille A. Aguinaldo
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte is standing by embattled Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida amid calls for his resignation over the controversy on the government contracts bagged by a security firm owned by the top government lawyer’s family.
“This Calida, he has long been a security guard. Why should I fire him? He’s good,” the President said in his speech during the condemnation of 122 smuggled luxury motor vehicles at the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in Manila on Wednesday.
This developed as senators from the minority bloc filed a resolution on Wednesday calling for an investigation into Mr. Calida’s alleged conflict of interest concerning the government contracts.
“Be it resolved, as it is resolved, by the Senate of the Philippines, to direct the Senate Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the conflict of interest of Solicitor General Jose Calida, arising from security service contracts between national government agencies and Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency, Inc.,” Senate Resolution No. 760 stated.
It was introduced by Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, and Senators Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, Francis N. Pangilinan, Antonio F. Trillanes IV, and Leila M. De Lima.
Mr. Trillanes is the chairperson of the Senate committee on civil service, government reorganization and professional regulation.
Also on Wednesday, Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said his department may also review previous contracts with the security firm in question.
“There’s a presumption of regularity but that’s just a presumption. So that means, if there’s evidence to the contrary, (then) there is some violation of our procurement laws. Then it’s something that is worth looking into. The DoJ will be open to review the contracts,” he told reporters after his confirmation hearing before the Commission on Appointments (CA).
Mr. Guevarra made the statement after Mr. Pangilinan raised the issue during the former’s confirmation hearing in the Senate. The senator urged Mr. Guevarra to further review the DoJ’s contracts with the security firm owned by Mr. Calida’s family.
“We ask this perhaps because the secretary can review the matter further, considering that it’s just a few days since the controversy erupted, for a lack of better term, and that more information may still be available that may further enlighten the secretary regarding this controversy,” Mr. Pangilinan said.
For her part, Ms. Baraquel said Mr. Calida “virtually admitted” his guilt when he said he has yet to divest himself of his business interest in a private security company.
“A fish is caught by its mouth. By saying that he has not divested himself of his majority shares from a family business that has snared millions of pesos worth of government contracts, Mr. Calida has virtually admitted to allegations of corrupt practices and conflict of interest,” she said in a statement.

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