PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE/The Filipino Web
Channel - Redefining Community News
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 6, Issue No. 15
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor
Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail.com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail.com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Friday, March 30, 2012
~ A press conference where officials promised transparency two weeks ago has kicked off a dust of controversy as calls are made to open the books on the community's biggest money-making ventures. "The cat is out of the bag," some wags say now. That remark testifies to the Fort Knox-mentality that had shrouded the financial situation of the not-for-profit Philippine Independence Day Council.
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PIDC CONTROVERSY
Rosemer Enverga Hints at 'Legal Action'
By ROMEO P.
MARQUEZ
Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors
(IRE), Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
and National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada
(NEPMCC)
TORONTO - A
former official of the Filipino community's top organization has admitted that
it was a "serious matter" to be dragged into a controversy involving funds and
the running of beauty pageants, traditionally rich sources of revenues for
cash-strapped charities.
"Any
allegations can be a basis for a legal action," says Rosemer Enverga, the
erstwhile chair of three beauty contests under the aegis of the Philippine
Independence Day Council (PIDC), the non-profit umbrella with claimed membership
of nearly 300 associations.
She was reacting to a public statement by Minda Neri, PIDC's immediate
past president, that PIDC "never had a
proper accounting from her (Enverga)" when she left PIDC last year and formed
her own group that also has a beauty pageant component.
Latest attempts to seek clarifications from Enverga
proved futile as she did not reply to questions to put the issue to rest.
Instead, she referred the matter to the PIDC treasurer
last year, Al Tupe.
"Al Tupe will confirm as per our telephone
conversation x x x that all financial documents
were submitted to him and had no problems whatsoever in procuring what he needed from me to
complete the reports," Enverga
states.
But there was not any word
from Tupe from that time Enverga said he would communicate.
"Minda (Neri) should be communicating with Al (Tupe) before
making any allegations because this is a serious matter and can be a basis for a
legal action," she adds.
Whether or not that statement is a hint that she would seek
legal redress or a warning to stop the flow of stories is not exactly clear. In
the meantime, she found an audience to ventilate her
disappointment.
Upset by an earlier
story, Enverga was reported to have "cried" at a recent birthday gathering
attended by the local chapter of the Knights of Rizal where her husband, Tobias
"Jun" Enverga, is a ranking member. He also happens to be an elected trustee of
the 12-member Toronto Catholic District School Board representing Scarborough
ward.
An
eyewitness account published in the e-group of the University of the Philippines
Alumni Association (UPAA) in Toronto stated that the Enverga couple - who are
not UPAA members - "shared their concern with us UPians" and "spoiled" the birthday bash of a
member.
“
'The publication of this controversy, which happened two years ago, is very
unfair,' Rosemer and husband Jun Enverga, who is an elected School Board
Trustee, lamented," wrote a certain Livvy Camacho in
the e-group.
The couple's
reaction was the first and only public feedback since questions involving PIDC
funds arose two weeks ago.
It was Tess
Cusipag, publisher and editor of Balita newspaper, who posted the story written
by this reporter with the headline: "WAS THERE WRONG-DOING? PIDC in a
Bind: To Pursue or Not Alleged Purse-Holder". (News video
at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFvfAV26CIQ&feature=channel)
"We
are doing this to our community not to glorify or destroy anybody but for the
information of everyone," Cusipag stresses in defending her action. "If there
was no controversy about money or anything then there is nothing to worry
about".
Camacho is apparently a friend of the Envergas, and even advocated
allowing them to rebut the published story in what was supposedly an e-group
limited to UPAA members only.
In fact, Camacho, on the pretext of a "level playing field",
posted Ms. Enverga's
reply, to wit: "I
do not understand why the editor of Balita, Ms Tess Cusipag, is bringing up this
issue to the UPAA Group. All financial affairs of the pageants under my
responsibility were reviewed and validated by the PDIC treasurer, Al Tupe, and
there have been no questions raised until this time - 2 years later. I am sure
we can be a more cohesive community without smearing the good name of those who
serve voluntarily and dedicate themselves in the service of the
community."
To
this, Cusipag responded: "All
they (the Envergas) had to do is to prove that there was no wrongdoing, but to
approach the people and get sympathy to the point that we are being blamed for
it then you are harbouring a culprit".
"We
are going to scrutinize like anything that we have done before till the culprit
produces the necessary paperwork that will clear their names," Cusipag added,
explaining that the newspaper, which used to be run by husband Ruben, now
retired, is
an advocate for transparency.
"It is better if there is a legal case so
there is an examination for discovery," Cusipag emphasizes. "By then she will be
forced to present all documents rather than ignoring all of
us".
Camacho's posting of Enverga's message also drew a
rejoinder from another UPAA member, Joe Rivera, who complained, thus:
"I
don't know why you (referring to Camacho) are bringing up the idea of giving
everyone a level playing field when posting in this forum. This is already
given, not just an assumption, but a reality since this forum is in
cyberspace and virtually shared with everyone.
"Just
because Tess Cusipag has access to this forum and Rosemer Enverga does not have
doesn't mean there is an 'imbalance of power of access.' Even your concept of
'balance of power' is nebulous to me".
Rivera continued: "Why complain about the PIDC posting
in our forum as if this really matters to our membership? They can have access
just the same, through your generosity of giving them space so their side can be
heard, which you actually did".
When
confronted in an email why questions are being raised now, or two years after
the fact, Ms. Enverga did not respond.
This
reporter told her that the main reason, as culled from interviews, was that she
had stonewalled on the issue. The reports she claims she had submitted were
piecemeal and incomplete, according to those asked to shed light on the matter
but would not want to be identified.
The
mini-controversy generated by the e-group postings has distracted from the main
issue, which was the alleged incomplete reporting of financial matters by Ms.
Enverga.
Neri has already
highlighted the helplessness of the PIDC in getting financial documents from her
to the point of resorting to legal remedies. That has not materialized because
of what Neri said was lack of time and money.
"We have a
decision not to pursue during my term anyways because there's so much work to do
and we need that money to spend on our activities. If in the future we will have
extra money, it would be Norma's (Carpio) decision whether she would pursue. But
right now, no," Neri stated at a press conference on March
14.
Reached for
comment, Carpio does not appear poise to pursue the issue at this time because
of hectic preparations for the upcoming Mabuhay Festival in June.
#
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online,
broadcast or reprinted upon request by interested parties. Permission by the
author or the editor must be obtained before any re-posting online or
re-publication in print or re-broadcast. Copyright by Romeo P. Marquez, Editor,
Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 6, Issue no. 15,
March 30, 2012. Email at: TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail.com, PhilVoiceNews@aol.com or CurrentsBreakingNews@gmail.com).
Other stories available at: http://digitaljournal.com/user/130094/news
My news channels can be viewed by clicking the
links:
1. The Gotcha Journalist Channel's Currents & Breaking News
at:http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGotchaJournalist#g/u
