TO fight graft and corruption within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Secretary Roy A. Cimatu is tapping the “expertise” of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), with its members acting as “assets and informants”, spying on erring DENR officials and employees.
Cimatu signed on Monday a memorandum of agreement with the VACC, represented by its founding chairman and president, Dante Jimenez, formalizing the partnership.
In his brief remark, Cimatu said that, under his watch, the DENR should shed off its reputation “as one of the most corrupt government agencies”, adding that “I believe that the VACC will help us achieve that.”
VACC is a not-for-profit organization campaigning against crime and corruption since the 1990s.
According to Cimatu, the anti-corruption campaign is in line with President Duterte’s promise to rid the bureaucracy of corrupt individuals.
“The President has repeatedly stated that he will never tolerate corruption, and we are all too familiar with his unwavering stance against erring government officials and other law offenders,” Cimatu said.
He added, “Anticorruption measures, both internally and as required by other agencies, such as Civil Service Commission [CSC] have been instituted and are being implemented continuously to achieve a corruption-free DENR.”
With the help of the VACC, Cimatu said he expects that the campaign against corruption will be sustained.
Under the agreement, the VACC will assist in gathering, reporting, referring and submitting names or evidence to the DENR pertaining to its officials and employees involved in anomalies, corruption and even crimes. The VACC also agreed to assist victims and witnesses against erring DENR personnel.
For its part, the DENR will “deputize” the VACC, but shall not be allowed to conduct inspections without an official travel or investigation order, or deputation from the DENR.
As DENR deputized officers, VACC members are required to undergo training on the prosecution of erring officials, the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, and environmental law enforcement in specific fields.
The VACC will not be granted complete access to all of the records related to the administrative cases against DENR personnel.
Access by the VACC should be through the freedom of information system of the DENR.
VACC members are considered to be “assets and informants” of the DENR with a pledge to keep the information secured through the agreement in the strictest confidence.
Image credits: PNA
2 comments
Hello. Everyone. We need to share this. A few years back my wife, Meilani Cordero and I, Monte Boyd purchased 2.8 hectors of beach property very near to Mayor Bayron’s property. Thereafter we developed it by building and selling 3 nice cottages over 1 and a half years. During this time, then vice Mayor Bayron would would stop by the property and compliment on the progress. Our kind neighbor that we would eat with at times, never mentioned any ownership to the property. When all of a sudden she, yolly Costin put a claim on the property and through giving DENR and other officials consideration was able to steal our property. We reported this to mayor Bayron but he passed it on to the city administrators who has done nothing. They now completely ignore our emails for a follow up. We put our life savings into this and feel we were back stabbed by many officials including Yolly Costin. Does anyone have any suggestions, please. Who may we go to, to uncover this horrible situation. It has destroyed us financially. Thank you, Monte Meilani and our 3 small children. See fb. Hunny, Sam and hero Boyd.
You can try appealing your case to DENR Undersecretary for LGUs Benny Antiporda. He is the Usec for LGUs and is in a position to address your concern.