Duterte: Why should I fire Calida? He is good

May 30, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte defended on Wednesday Solicitor General Jose Calida over alleged conflict of interest after his security agency bagged multi-million contracts with various government agencies.

In a speech during the condemnation of smuggled luxury motor vehicles in Port Area, Manila, Duterte said there was no reason for him to fire Calida.

"Calida has been owning that security guard (agency) for a long time. Why should I fire him? He is good, he is also from Davao but he's an Ilocano," he said.

He said Calida's family still has the right to do business as long as he does not participate in the operation of the business.

"The fact that you have divested in the sense that you have retired...so why do you have to impute or attribute malice there?," Duterte said.

News reports said Calida and his family owned Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency which allegedly secured P150 million contracts from several government agencies, such as National Parks Development Committee,  National Anti-Poverty Commission, and the National Economic and Development Authority.

Calida was the one who filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court asking to annul the appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for failure to submit copies of all her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth to the Judicial and Bar Council when she was applying for the position.

Voting 8-6, the high court granted the petition, resulting to Sereno's ouster. Sereno has filed a motion for reconsideration over her ouster. Celerina Monte/DMS