MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chair Patricia Licuanan belied the false accusations of a lawmaker that she failed to secure travel authorization from Malacañang for her foreign trips last year.

CHED yesterday released copies of Licuanan’s travel authorizations from the Office of the President, disputing claims made by Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles on his Facebook account.

“I get a travel authority from the Office of the President for all my travel, including personal trips. This is well documented. I issue travel authorities for all CHED officials but not for myself,” said Licuanan.

She said the documents shared by Nograles, which showed Licuanan signing an approval for her own travel, was merely an internal document that is attached to the request sent to the Malacañang.

“It appears that what Rep. Nograles shared on his Facebook account as basis for his accusations is the internal Authority to Travel Abroad, which is routinely used to process the funds and is an attachment for securing Malacañang approval,” she said.

Lily Frieda Milla, CHED’s director for international affairs, also confirmed that Licuanan’s travels are covered by travel authorities from the Office of the Executive Secretary and signed by Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

“The chairperson is allowed to travel business class for long-haul flights as warranted under OP Memorandum Circular No. 7, s. 2010 and because of her vertigo,” she added.

The circular mandates that flights of officials are limited to economy class except for long-haul flights or those beyond four hours.

Nograles earlier claimed that Licuanan violated an executive order for supposedly issuing her own travel authorities.

He has yet to respond to the release of Licuanan’s travel authorization from the Palace. 

The Bureau of Immigration will check if former Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator Marcial Amaro III presented his authority to travel, after an official of the Civil Service Commission said that immigration officials should not have allowed the sacked Marina chief to leave the country if he did not present his authorization to travel. – With Evelyn Macairan