Licuanan travels abroad without President’s authorization, says solon

Commission on Higher Education (Ched) chief Patricia Licuanan. PHOTO FROM CHED’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

A congressman on Friday accused Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chair Patricia Licuanan of taking eight foreign trips in 2017, seven of them on official business, without securing travel authority from the Office of the President.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta  Rep. Jericho Nograles said in a statement that Licuanan delegated herself as the approving authority for her own requests for authority to travel abroad.

But Licuanan dismissed Nograles’ allegations, saying all her foreign trips were authorized by the President.

“I do not know what Rep. Nograles is talking about and where he is getting his facts. I get a travel authority from the Office of the President for all my travels … This is well documented. I issue travel authorities for all CHEd staff but not for myself,” Licuanan said.

Licuanan’s foreign trips, according to Nograles, included meetings and speaking engagements in the United States, Canada, France and Germany.

Nograles said that Licuanan might be liable for grave misconduct, which “is defined by the Supreme Court as flagrant disregard of established rules, among others.” —REPORTS FROM DJ YAP AND JEROME ANING