PAGC teams up with VACC in anti-corruption drive

The government’s anti-corruption drive received a big boost Thursday after the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) signed a memorandum of agreement with the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) to join forces in the fight against corruption. In a ceremony at Malacañang’s Kalayaan Hall, the anti-graft commission and VACC formalized their team-up, sending a message to corrupt government officials that their days are numbered. PAGC Chairman Dr. Constancia De Guzman and VACC founder Dante Jimenez signed the agreement in the presence of PAGC Commissioner Teresita Baltazar and VACC Chairman Lauro Vizconde. Under the MOA, both parties will work together in identifying new measures to prevent graft and corruption at all levels of the bureaucracy. The VACC assists PAGC in lifestyle check of all presidential appointees covered by the presidential commission’s jurisdiction. "Crooks in government watch out, your days are numbered," De Guzman and Jimenez warned. The agreement took effect immediately after the VACC’s turnover to the PAGC 10 names of high-ranking government officials to be included in the commissions’ list for lifestyle investigation. PAGC and VACC, however, declined to identify the 10 presidential appointees pending the result of the investigation on the allegations against them. The PAGC is the President’s anti-corruption arm mandated to investigate complaints against presidential appointees with salary grades of 26 and above. As of last year, PAGC has resolved 162 cases and recommended the imposition of corresponding punitive action against officials involved in illegal activities. The VACC, on the other hand, is one of the parties which filed the first plunder case against ousted President Joseph Estrada. The case is being heard by the Sandiganbayan. -GMANEWS.TV