Senior citizens commission execs ask chair to resign

RESIGNATION CALL. Five commissioners of the National Commission of Senior Citizens call for the resignation of their chairperson, Franklin Quijano, during a press conference in Manila on Friday (June 21, 2024). The group accused Quijano of grave abuse of authority, gross misconduct and gross negligence of duty, which the NCSC chief refuted. (PNA photo by Marita Moaje)

MANILA – Five commissioners of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) on Friday called for the resignation of their chairman, Franklin Quijano.

“The five of us have signed a manifesto on our call for the chairman of the NCSC to honorably resign from his position,” Mary Jean Loreche said in a press briefing in Manila.

The other signatories of the manifesto were Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, Enriqueta Rodeles, Edwin Espejo and Reymar Mansilungan.

They accused Quijano of grave abuse of authority, gross misconduct, gross negligence of duty, ignorance of the law and conduct inimical to the interest of the public.

They said the commission was fiscally mismanaged due to underspending since the agency has no clear programs.

The problems in the NCSC keep piling up and must be addressed sooner, Loreche said.

“In a painful yet necessary and a must decision, we collectively put our names in and sign this manifesto calling for the immediate resignation of Chairman Franklin M. Quijano on grounds that are to the best interest of public service and most especially for the general welfare of the 12 million senior citizens in the country,” the manifesto read.

“We appeal to his sense of propriety and decency to quit and find the platform, if there is, where his kind leadership may find its place,” it added.

Should Quijano refuse to step down, the group said they would bring the matter to the Office of the President.

Sought for comment, Quijano told the Philippine News Agency that all accusations hurled against him were baseless and he would answer them all.