The complainants are Loida Z. Lombiso, Rita C. Tao, Graciano A. Inso, Eduardo P. Ortuoste, and Reuben D. Baldoza Jr.
Baldoza who is also the legal counsel for the group named over 24 respondents headed by Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco.
The move is reportedly part of a nationwide campaign of the Parents Enabling Parents (PEP) Coalition against Pacific Plans and the Yuchengco family for not being able to pay up to the amount covered in the plans.
PEP coalition president Philip Piccio, in an interview Saturday afternoon at the Yellow Fin Restaurant, said planholders were planning to file the charges Friday afternoon but was delayed due to the unanticipated holiday.
He added that the aggrieved planholders opted to file syndicated estafa cases in their areas of jurisdiction instead of a class action suit because they do not want the case to be handled solely by a fiscal and a judge.
Piccio said there have been negotiation efforts between the two parties but such failed because Pacific Plans allegedly did it in "bad faith."
"They are not offering us anything new expect there are forcing their stand to make a new contract. They won't pay up to the amount agreed in the plan and under the new contract it is up to them to determine how much we are going to get," Piccio said.
The PEP coalition has over 300,000 members nationwide and Piccio said they are optimistic they will succeed because the Court of Appeals already ruled in their favor by saying that Pacific Plans has enough to pay up planholders until the year 2014.
Piccio said if not for the help of a well-known benefactor, then their children would have not been able to finish schooling.
The PEP coalition is facing 14 counts of libel filed by Pacific Plans, seven of which have already been dismissed. (GLP)
