PAKAPALAN NG MUKHA
According to the OSG Web site, the Office of the Solicitor General represents "the People of the Philippines, the Philippine Government, its Agencies and Instrumentalities, Officials and Agents" before SC and the Court of Appeals.
So how can there be no conflict of interest when his family business has contracts with the agencies and instrumentalities that he represents?
You can defend this with legalese and gobbledygook -- but when it looks like corruption, sounds like corruption and stinks of corruption (not just a whiff), it definitely is corruption. Don't fool yourselves by thinking otherwise.
No wonder Calida attacked Sereno for her "lack of integrity". His understanding of the word INTEGRITY simply escapes his comprehension.
So far 14 contracts worth P261m have been discovered to have been awarded by 7 Government agencies to Sol-Gen Calida's 60%-owned Vigilant security agency (40% is owned by his family).
Here's what they have to say:
š Sol-Gen Calida: Nothing irregular in contracts.
š Spokesman Roque: No conflict of interest.
š DOJ Sec Guevarra: No need to probe Calida
Wow. A united front for unethical governance.
What the Law says:
1987 Philippine Constitution. Article VII. Section 13: The President, Vice-President, the Members of the Cabinet, and their deputies or assistants shall not... during said tenure, directly or indirectly, practice any other profession, participate in any business, or be financially interested in any contract with, or in any franchise, or special privilege granted by the Government or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof... They shall strictly avoid conflict of interest in the conduct of their office.
RA 6713. Code of Conduct of Public Officials. Section 9: Divestment. - A public official or employee shall avoid conflicts of interest at all times. When a conflict of interest arises, he shall resign from his position in any private business enterprise within thirty (30) days from his assumption of office and/or divest himself of his shareholdings or interest within sixty (60) days from such assumption.
Note: Calida resigned as Chairman & President of Vigilant but retained his majority ownership.
This case now goes to the Ombudsman, where Duterte is set to appoint Carpio-Morales' replacement - one whose morals & ethics are more like Duterte, Roque, Aguirre and Calida.
Makapal na, lubak-lubak pa. And we're not just talking about their faces.