Calida security firm won multimillion-peso gov't contracts: documents

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - The security firm owned by Solicitor General Jose Calida&#x27;s wife Milagros signed multimillion-peso contracts with at least 3 government agencies months after his appointment as the government&#x27;s chief lawyer in 2016, documents showed.</p><p>Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency Inc. (VISAI) bagged several contracts with the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) from 2016 to 2018, documents from these agencies showed. </p><p>These came to light as Calida faced graft charges at the Office of the Ombudsman, where a private complainant alleged that he still owned 60 percent of the security agency. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/26/18/no-conflict-of-interest-in-government-deal-with-calida-security-firm-osg">READ: ‘No conflict of interest’ in government deal with Calida security firm: OSG</a></li></ul><p>The papers showed that the NPDC awarded a P29.2-million contract to Calida&#x27;s firm in January 2018 for security services at the Rizal and Paco parks in the capital city. </p><p>One document, a service agreement between NPDC and VISAI dated Jan. 31, 2018, identified Milagros Calida as the security agency&#x27;s &quot;Chairwoman/President.&quot; </p><p>Last year, the NPDC, an agency under the Department of Tourism, also awarded a P10.3 million security contract to VISAI to provide security for the two parks.</p><p>The Solicitor General&#x27;s family business also secured a P2.8 million service contract from the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) in August 2016, while the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) paid Calida&#x27;s agency P6.8 million in September 2016 for year-long security services.</p><p>Both contracts (NAPC and NEDA) may be renewed up to three years.</p><p>Calida has not returned all calls and text messages from ABS-CBN News seeking comment. He was reported to have already divested from the business.</p><div><strong>CALIDA SECURITY FIRM CITED IN GRAFT COMPLAINT</strong></div><p>Earlier this month, a private complainant cited Calida&#x27;s security firm in a graft complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman. </p><p>In the complaint, Jocelyn Marie Acosta cited a document from the Securities and Exchange Commission that showed that Calida still owned 60 percent of the security agency as of 2016.</p><p>Acosta is a supporter of Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was ousted as chief justice based on Calida&#x27;s quo warranto petition that questioned her appointment at the Supreme Court. </p><p>Her complaint cited Calida for alleged violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. </p><p>Section 9 of this law requires a public official to &quot;avoid conflict of interest at all times,&quot; mandating that &quot;he (or she) shall resign from his (or her) position in any private business enterprise within thirty (30) days from his assumption of office and/or divest himself (or herself) of his shareholdings or interest within sixty (60) days from such assumption.&quot;</p><p>It said conflict of interest arises when a public official&#x27;s involvement as &quot;a member of the board, an officer, or a substantial stockholder of a private corporation&quot; or being an owner or having &quot;substantial interest in a business... may be opposed to or affected by the faithful performance of official duty.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/10/18/solgen-faces-raps-for-graft-extra-marital-affair">SolGen faces raps for graft, &#x27;extra-marital affair&#x27;</a></li></ul><p>Duterte picked Calida as his Soliciter General in May 2016, upon his election to office. He served as one of the President&#x27;s campaign managers. </p><div><strong>See the NPDC, NAPC and NEDA documents below: </strong></div><blockquote class="embedly-card"><h4><a href="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/26/calida2.pdf?ext=.pdf">null</a></h4><p>null</p></blockquote><script async="" src="~//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js" charSet="UTF-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="embedly-card"><h4><a href="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/26/calidaluneta3.pdf?ext=.pdf">null</a></h4><p>null</p></blockquote><script async="" src="~//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js" charSet="UTF-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="embedly-card"><h4><a href="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/26/calidaluneta4.pdf?ext=.pdf">null</a></h4><p>null</p></blockquote><script async="" src="~//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js" charSet="UTF-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="embedly-card"><h4><a href="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/26/vigilant-national-parks-development-committee.pdf?ext=.pdf">null</a></h4><p>null</p></blockquote><script async="" src="~//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js" charSet="UTF-8" type="text/javascript"></script><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/26/vigilant-napc.jpg?ext=.jpg"/></figure></div><blockquote class="embedly-card"><h4><a href="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/26/vigilant-neda.pdf?ext=.pdf">null</a></h4><p>null</p></blockquote><script async="" src="~//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js" charSet="UTF-8" type="text/javascript"></script>

<p>The security firm owned by Solicitor General Jose Calida's wife Milagros had signed multi-million contracts with at least 3 government agencies months after his appointment as the government's chief lawyer in 2016, documents showed.</p>

The security firm owned by Solicitor General Jose Calida's wife Milagros had signed multi-million contracts with at least 3 government agencies months after his appointment as the government's chief lawyer in 2016, documents showed.

Calida security firm won multimillion-peso gov't contracts: documents | ABS-CBN

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Calida security firm won multimillion-peso gov't contracts: documents

Calida security firm won multimillion-peso gov't contracts: documents

ABS-CBN News

Published May 26, 2018 01:59 PM PHT

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Updated May 26, 2018 10:03 PM PHT

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Jose Calida

VISAI

conflict of interest

solicitor general

security agency

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