[2][3] During his time as a Solicitor General, Calida is a controversial figure on the issues regarding the shutdown of television network ABS-CBN during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He served as secretary general of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption during the administration of President Fidel Ramos and was the convenor of the God's People's Coalition for Righteousness that staged protests and prayer rallies against the proliferation of pornography and smut films in the 1990s.

Following the Second EDSA Revolution, he was appointed by the newly installed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the Undersecretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Secretaries Hernando B. Perez in 2001, Merceditas Gutierrez in 2002, and Simeon Datumanong in 2003.

He was president and chair of Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency, which won a contract with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation in 2010.

[10][11] According to one of the charges, Calida allegedly violated the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for failing to divest his interest in his family-owned security agency, which received ₱261.39 million worth of contracts from the Department of Justice and other government agencies.

[12][13][14] Calida has denied any conflict of interest and said he is not liable under the Code of Conduct for Public Officials nor the anti-graft law.

[15][16] Calida was appointed by President-elect Bongbong Marcos as the Chairman of Commission on Audit (COA) on June 29, 2022; he assumed the post on July 4.