Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chair Patricia Licuanan stepped down from her post on Monday after receiving a phone call from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea asking her to do so.
“Over the weekend I received a call from Executive Secretary Medialdea asking me to resign as chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education. While my term by law ends in July 2018, I have decided it is time to go,” Licuanan announced during a flag ceremony at the CHED headquarters.
She adds, “It has become obvious that there are persons determined to get me out of CHED by hurling false and baseless accusations against me in what appears to be a fishing expedition and a well-orchestrated move in media,”
It can be recalled that Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list Representative Jericho Nograles accused her of having excessive junkets.
Licuanan belied this accusation and said it is baseless since all her travels were confirmed to have been authorized by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
She added that those who are “dying to oust her” has turned to accusing her of “mismanagement and corruption.”
Iligan Representative Frederick Siao also called her out for “demeaning 9,500 K to 12 transition program scholars.”
Licuanan insisted that she is not committing malicious acts as she has been devoted to promoting an office with no taint of corruption since day one.
“I must strongly denounce malicious allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds. It has been my personal commitment to stamp out corruption in CHED since day one, despite the odds and the strong resistance. The K to 12 Transition Program has been implemented with the highest level of ethical stewardship and every peso is accounted for,” she said.
Moreover, she said her resignation does not mean she is guilty of all the accusations thrown to her for she is only doing this as “her continued presence in CHED is inimical to the interest of the institution.”
(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 01/ 15 / 18)