MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said he has fired Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Patricia Licuanan, saying more officials in the government will face the same fate.
“Let me just say sa lahat [to all] I have dismissed Licuanan today, ‘yung sa [there in] CHED… And many will follow,” Duterte said on Monday.
Licuanan earlier stood firm that she will not step down from public office and insisted that she will finish her term despite calls for her resignation.
Licuanan’s term is set to expire in July.
However, the CHED chair announced in a speech during the flag-raising ceremony at the CHED headquarters in Quezon City on Monday that she is resigning from her post after receiving a call from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
“I have decided it is time to go. It has become obvious 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,” Licuanan said.
Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles accused Licuanan of going on supposed excessive overseas trip. Nograles questioned whether Licuanan usurped the powers of Duterte by approving several “Authority to Travel Abroad” documents for herself.
Nograles also accused Licuanan of irregularities in her “business class” travels, and delays in the release of scholars’ benefits.
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during a press briefing that Duterte would accept Licuanan’s resignation, saying all claims against the latter would no longer matter after she vacated her post.
“This was a resignation, an act of Chairperson Licuanan herself. Her resignation has rendered all controversies be moot and I don’t feel compelled to issue any statement in that regard,” Roque said.
It can also be recalled that Duterte announced the dismissal of a chairman of an agency for supposed corrupt practices.
Asked if the president was referring to Licuanan, Roque answered: “Again as I said, all controversies about Licuanan has been rendered moot by her resignation.”