Dutertes’ accuser faces suit

THE VOLUNTEERS Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) on Sunday said it would take to court a consumer rights advocate who claimed to be a VACC member and held a press conference to expose the alleged involvement in smuggling of presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte and members of his family.

“We’re going to file a case of estafa through deceit against that bogus member,” VACC founding chair Dante Jimenez told the Inquirer in a phone interview, referring to Perfecto Jaime Tagalog of the Coalition of Filipino Consumers (CFC).

“Tagalog’s claims are based on supposed intelligence reports and are being merely used for political purposes. The VACC did not authorize Tagalog’s action and our group will not allow itself to be exploited for political mudslinging,” Jimenez said.

He said the VACC was “apolitical” and did not support any presidential candidate.

Jimenez said he and other VACC members who expressed support for Duterte did so in their individual capacities and based on their common advocacy against crime and drugs.

In a statement on Sunday, Tagalog accused the VACC of abandoning him in his fight against the Dutertes.

He recalled that the CFC and the VACC had joined forces and filed cases of plunder, graft and indirect bribery against former Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima.

Tagalog said that when he exposed Purisima, it was VACC founding chair and president Jimenez who called him and offered to help.

“In our fight against Purisima, Mr. Jimenez personally helped me and I referred to him directly many crime victims who were seeking help. It’s sad that in this fight against smuggling, I am being condemned by the VACC,” he said.

He urged the VACC to come out and support him in his bid to stop the alleged smuggling activities of the Duterte family in Davao.

Jimenez, however, said the VACC and the CFC separately pursued the cases against Purisima and the two groups were independent.

“I don’t care about his charge [against the Dutertes] but he should not use the name of the VACC,” Jimenez said.