PinoyWatchDog.com | Truth is Our Reason for Being by Pinoy WatchDog

Dismissed directors of FACLA reinstated. Nyet!

VOL. 1

NO. 9

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20 PAGES

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CIRCULATED IN LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE COUNTIES

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PinoyWatchDog.com Investigation Unearths Architects of Bander Fictitious Sex Scandal By Rene Villaroman with PWD

N 2005, Atty. Joel Bander began representing more than 40 underpaid workers being denied minimum wage and overtime pay by the owner of Le Vien Homes, Inc. and Taliavi Enterprises, two

Investigative Team

companies that owned about halfa-dozen board-and-care and rest home facilities for the elderly or mentally disadvantaged in Southern Los Angeles County and Northern Orange County. Immediately after it was

known that these 40-odd clients were being represented by Atty. Bander, Superior Court files indicated that Bander began receiving reports of intimidation and harassment from his underpaid Turn to Page 5

ANILA – In one historic week in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, the Senate survived stunning allegations of bribery by the President’s men, asserted its primacy, bowed to the

Non-lawyers Owning Law Firms is Bad By Joel Bander Senior Columnist

hen I was a newly admitted lawyer in 1985 I set out looking for employment. I answered an ad to work for a personal injury firm, an area that I had experience in from a year of law clerking for two former Los Angeles City Attorneys with a long history of trial experience. I was interviewed by a non-lawyer Russian gentleman who advised me he was seeking an attorney to ‘front’ for his law firm. All I had to do was show up two times a week or so, make clients feel as if an attorney was around, sign the trust account checks, and I would be paid a guaranteed $3500 a month for a few hours of work a week. And I was also offered use of the office at no cost in a nice loTurn to Page 2

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012

Atty. Bander Set Up in Fake Sex Case …And How He Acquitted Himself with Honor and Dignity By Rene Villaroman with PWD

N July 13, 2006, Atty. Joel Bander was in Manila providing immigration consultation services when he received an e-mail from

Investigative Team

Myrna Ang Tiu. The e-mail stated that she desired an immigration consultation for herself and seven (7) friends with similar issues. Bander had earlier advertised his Turn to Page 4

SENATE TRIAL FENDS OFF CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS, BRIBERY RAPS, BANK RUN Prosecution bungling marks impeachment month By Winston A. Marbella Correspondent

DRILON

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authority of the Supreme Court, and avoided a potentially crippling bank run. The week began with a surprising, hastily arranged press conference called close to midnight on Sunday by the Chef Justice’s Turn to Page 13

Senators as judge, jury & prosecutor By Winston A. Marbella Correspondent

ANILA - In their effort to set right what is admittedly a flawed impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representa-

Atty. Paul ‘Boy’ Allen, Fronting for Others; He also Faces Contempt of Court Charges

Beirne Stops Advertising in Face of Contempt Charges. Is He Shutting Down Law Office? By Rene Villaroman with PWD

URBANK -- Highly regarded and wellseasoned trial attorney Dennis P. Wilson told PinoyWatchDog. com that he intends to bring con-

Investigative Team

EXPOSE tempt of court charges against Atty. Paul ‘Boy’ Allen, admitted to practice law just last summer,

and appearing in advertisements for the Beirne Law Office since the fall of 2011. Wilson said that “as an associate of Attorney Beirne this new Turn to Page 3

In the forefront of gay-lesbian pride By Dionesio

ANALYSIS tives against Chief Justice Renato Corona, several senators have

Turn to Page 13

From Our Pen EDITORIAL Setting the Record Straight for Atty. Beirne and Balita Media, Part II |Page 5 OFF HOURS I Fluff You |Page 12

C. Grava

Photos courtesy of Barangay Los Angeles

N time for Valentine’s Day, Gov. Chris Gregoire of Washington signed into law a measure that legalizes same-sex marriage. Washington, D.C. has now joined New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont as states that allow gay marriage. Gregoire’s official act came on the heels of other developments that had gay right advocates celebrating. Nearly a week earlier Turn to Page 14

SPORTS WORLD Philippine sports beyond Pacman|Page 16

Barangay LA members project a sample of Filipino culture at the Los Angeles Pride Parade.

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Non-lawyers Owning Law Firms is Bad From Page 1

cation in the museum district of Wilshire Boulevard, and whatever clients I obtained on my own I could keep all the fees. Throw in there might be criminal referrals and this non- lawyer would only ask for 20% of the fee as a referral. He liked me, offered the job on the spot, and I told him I had to think about it. I never called him back. I then proceeded to call the State Bar of California, but they said the business owner was not a lawyer and they did not have jurisdiction, and I should call the L.A. Police Department. However, L.A.P.D advised to call the State Bar, so I ended the matter there. But whatever happened to those unfortunate ‘clients’ who did not really have a lawyer working on their case? Did they even find out the Russian’s scam? The State Bar of California has rules against ‘fee splitting’, a practice of using an individual called a ‘capper’ or ‘runner’ that would receive either a cash payment for the referral in the beginning of the case, or a percentage of the legal fees at the end. This is dangerous as non-lawyers are not trained in ethics rules to not decide, or be driven, by financial decisions when making legal decisions for clients. But if a nonlawyer is just run ning the law firm as a business without concerns for legal ethics it obviously is disadvantageous to consumers looking for honest legal services. In essence, being driven by the ‘bottom line’ alone can be a disaster for a client putting money on the table for legal services. Indeed, if one lawyer receives a ‘referral fee’ from another lawyer bar rules even require that the client approve of the funds transfer, so they know the motivations of the lawyers and are fully apprised of the relationship. Of course, every lawyer is bound to make a mistake, and better lawyers make lesser mistakes than bad lawyers. Even good lawyers can make the same mistake over and over again. Some mistakes ultimately do not matter, or can be worked around, and some are fatal. Some ethical mistakes are technical. But when a law firm is created by non-lawyers in actual ownership or in charge it can have drastic effects for clients, particularly when these laymen do not give a hoot about legal ethics, and these types of ethic breaches must

be considered intentional. The problem becomes even worse when a lawyer has too many cases because there is a greater possibility of making mistakes. Obviously, a ‘firm’ decreases this possibility with a higher ratio of lawyers to staff members than with a lesser ratio. And if a law firm has hundreds of cases and only one lawyer it is a recipe for disaster. Lawyers obviously undergo significant educational requirements and testing, through law school, and the obviously rigorous bar examination, and an ethics exam, along with ongoing education after being licensed. Non-lawyers are not required by law to have any educational requirements or testing. When I had a large firm I required everyone to have a college education (except the receptionist if they seemed particularly bright). Obviously, money drives this train. Lawyers, and non-lawyers, blinded by just making money, without concern for representing their clients and seeking justice, can have disastrous effects for clients. Indeed, I have always been proud of the statement by the bar investigator following up on the Balita Media-organized and driven bar complaint campaign against me who stated, “I have investigated a lot of attorneys in my time, but it is obvious you are not driven by money. You are not trying to accumulate wealth and live simply. Mostly the lawyers that get in trouble are motivated by money, substance abuse or family problems.” If non-lawyers own the law firm business and advertising strategies are schewed to protecting that illegal relationship and, obviously, not the lofty profession of practicing law. The community must always be concerned about lawyers and law firms that are not the master of their own ship, as it has shown over time that they have little concern for legal ethics or laws; they are only interested in making money. And this harms the very clients who hired them for their legal services. If the readers of PinoyWatchDog.com have any information about the existence of these unethical and illegal relationships, please contact at tel. no. (213) 261-7467 and leave a message, or write us a letter and send it to: PinoyWatchDog.com, P.O. Box 91400, Los Angeles, California 90009. You may also send an e-mail to: editor@pinoywatchdog.com.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Expose

Atty. Paul ‘Boy’ Allen, Fronting for Others, He also Faces Contempt of Court Charges Beirne Stops Advertising in Face of Contempt Charges. Is He Shutting Down Law Office? From Page 1

attorney falls under Judge Brugerra’s court order to not mislead or deceive the public” and Allen’s recent seemingly independent advertising that just directs clients to the Beirne Law Office is misleading. The Law Office of James P. Beirne admits the young Mr. Allen had no prior legal experience before working with the Beirne office. In January 2012, hundreds of contempt of court charges were brought against Attorney James Beirne and are now pending in the Los Angeles Superior Court. The web site of the State Bar of California has Allen’s full name as Paul Mendoza Allen, apparently the son of Anthony Allen and Luchie Mendoza-Allen, the widely reported non-lawyer owners of the Law Office of James P. Beirne. Beirne’s office refused to comment on ‘Boy Allen’s’ relationship to the notorious Anthony Allen and Luchie Mendoza-Allen. “It is safe to presume he is their son,” speculated one Balita Media observer. “Indeed, they must have someone who can be trusted because of things that go on over there. But why deny they are your parents?” The “Deceptive and Misleading” Ads Continue We at PinoyWatchDog.com have observed that recently, Atty. Beirne’s copywriters, presumably, owners Anthony and Luchie Mendoza-Allen, and “practicing journalist” Rhony Laigo had crafted a new set of advertising copies depicting Atty. Paul Allen singly, but utilizing the same addresses and telephone numbers of the three offices of James P. Beirne in Glendale, Cerritos and West Covina. On hearing this new round of “deceptive and confusing advertising”, trial attorney Dennis P. Wilson, who, by the way, is no ordinary trial lawyer, but one so busy and well-known he does not even need to advertise, said: “Attorney Allen’s advertising is in violation of the court order that Beirne’s law office not mislead the public.” Wilson cited California Rule of Professional Conduct 1-400 and referred to a ‘Standard 9’. ‘Standard 9’ states that ‘Firm names, trade names, fictitious names, or other professional designations used by a lawyer or law firm that differ materially from any other such designations used by the lawyer or law firm at the same time in the same community “ are presumed to be misleading and deceiving.’ Considering the ads have the same phone numbers and addresses as the Beirne law office, and follow the same format ‘Boy’ Allen appears destined to the same fate as Attorney Beirne.

Same phone numbers and office. Filipinos must not be fooled.

“There is no question of same time and same community,” said Atty. Wilson. “It is the same newspaper, same edition.” Balita Media newspapers is owned by Paul Allen’s parents, Anthony and Luchie Mendoza-Allen. Wilson has been designated to prosecute Atty. James Beirne for over 200 counts of contempt of court charges resulting from his disregard of Judge Soussan Brueguera’s court order “to not have any false, misleading, deceptive advertising or communications, or such advertising that tends to confuse, deceive or mislead the public; or to not guaranty any outcome on a legal matter, or to use a spokesperson without disclosure

of the spokesperson’s title.” “There will be dozens more charges filed,” Wilson said, “for new violations since the January 2012” when the instant contempt of court proceedings against Beirne began. The maximum sentence for all these counts could total up to three (3) years in jail and about $200,000 in fines, plus attorneys fees. However, it would be expected that the sentence would not be that harsh, if ever the trial, originally set for February 27, 2012, but now continued to a later date by Judge Bruguera, proceeds. The Los Angeles County Bar Association has advised in a for-

mal opinion in 2006, many years before, young, inexperienced Paul ‘Boy’ Allen even started going to law school that “a practitioner who maintains her own solo law practice is not ethically precluded from concurrently serving as “of counsel” with another law firm or attorney despite CPPC 1-400 (E), Standard 9. So long as the lawyer tells existing and potential clients that she works in both capacities and identifies the actual capacity in which she will handle a client’s matter, she may use separate business cards and stationery to indicate when she is acting as “of counsel” for the affiliated firm and when she is acting through her solo practice.”

But “Boy” Allen is such a new attorney with no experience he could hardly be ‘of counsel’ to any law firm. “This is Scary”: Former Beirne Client ‘Boy’ Allen’s ads offer debt relief in large letters. In small, barely readable letters in the bottom of the advertisement is the language required under Federal law for all bankruptcy attorneys. “This is scary,” said Diosdado Duldulao, a former Beirne client whose family home was lost when Beirne failed to file an already completed and signed bankruptcy petition. “I answered an ad for debt relief and Ruby Turn to Page 5

Saturday, February 18, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Atty. Bander Set Up in Fake Sex Case …And How He Acquitted Himself with Honor and Dignity

From Page 1

consultation services in the Los Angeles editions of Asian Journal, which then and now is the largest Filipino-American newspaper, and where he was then serving as legal counsel. Based on a deposition made by Lotis Rosario, who was Bander’s legal assistant in Manila, a law student at San Beda College, who has since passed the Philippine Bar and now serves as law clerk for the Philippines Court of Appeals, Ms. Tiu arrived a few days later with only one (1) client who called herself ‘Christina San Jose.’ Ms. Tiu paid for ‘San Jose’s’ consultation fee of $100. The meeting room was less than one meter away from the re-

the August 5, 2006 issue of People’s Tonight, written by Allan Begornia, who called Bander a ‘trader’ and claiming that charges were filed in Branch 73 of the Taguig Trial Court. But the real, hard truth is that there is no Branch 73 at the Taguig Court. And there was never any case in the Taguig Trial Court, even though Balita Media, through its obedient executive editor keeps repeating a baseless and non-existent ‘sexual assault’ case stories filed against Bander. The stories, by their inaccuracies, were total fabrications and assuredly paid for, as is the rampant practice in some less reputable newspapers in Manila and written by reporters with less than ster-

“It was obvious this was a set-up from the start,” said Ambassador Raul Rabe

“I did not want Bander to think that Filipino Justice is so corrupt,” said Atty. Sigfrid Fortun

ception area. Ms. Rosario recalled that during the meeting, she went into the consultation room to bring Mr Bander tea. “Nothing unusual was happening; it was an uneventful consultation, with Christina San Jose leaving the room smiling, almost laughing.” Little did Bander and Rosario know at the time that ‘San Jose’ was happy because she ‘thought’ she had made some quick money. Meanwhile, Myrna Tiu (this is her real name) then consulted with Atty. Bander about processing her immigration visa. She made another appointment to meet Bander the next day at the EDSA Shangrila Hotel to pay the retainer fee. But she did not show up. Ms. Rosario recalled that when she called Ms. Tiu to inquire about her arrival, the latter was “shocked” to find out that the legal assistant was also in the meeting to accompany Atty Bander. Rosario thought the response was odd. At that point, Bander considered the matter closed and flew home to Los Angeles. But unbeknownst to both he and Ms. Rosario a devious plan had been hatched to make up a sexual story to malign his good reputation. Then, in the July 27, 2007 edition of Manila Standard, a news report that “sex charges” were filed against ‘consular officer’ Joel Bander appeared, obviously paid for by people out to ruin his reputation. That story was followed by another news story in

ling journalism ethics. A Manila investigator for PinoyWatchDog.com who interviewed People’s Tonight reporter Allan Begornia, admitted, after a few shots of hard liquor, that he was paid about $200 to write the Bander sex scandal story, and whoever it was that approached him to write the story really hated Bander with a passion. It was this highly trained investigator’s opinion that Begornia was an alcoholic. After this brouhaha reached People’s Tonight management, the tabloid made a retraction and fired reporter Begornia. A few days after September 8, 2006, Ms. Rosario, Bander’s Manila legal assistant, received a call from someone professing to be Christina San Jose’s brother. He said that the articles in the newspapers were all part of a plan to smear Joel Bander’s name in the Philippines and that the source of this campaign came from the U.S. The caller further claimed that his ‘sister’ was not paid, as promised, by this group. Hence ‘San Jose’ wanted to retract the false accusations against Bander. “This is a set-up”: Amb. Raul Rabe “It was obvious this was a setup from the start,” said Ambassador Raul Rabe, who had worked with Bander organizing and helping Filipino World War II veterans during the late 1990s, and has remained Bander’s friend. “I wanted to help Atty. Bander,

PNP SPO2 Marcelino Macaraig’s signed affidavit documenting that he checked the address provided by “fictitious” complainant, Christina San Jose. The address turned out to be an abandoned warehouse in Quezon City.

who did so much for war veterans over the years,” Rabe said. His law office in Manila initially undertook the legal representation of Bander, and developed an overwhelming case demonstrating that the complaint was a fraud and a set-up. However, even with his firm’s influence, the rampant corruption in the Philippines won the day until the Aquino administration came into office and Bander was ultimately acquitted. His case was made even stronger when: * ‘San Jose’ provided a false address, an abandoned warehouse/ factory space; * Ms. Rosario still had the receipt of the person identifying herself as ‘Christina San Jose’. However, the signature on the Complaint Sheet at the fiscal’s office was very different than the one on the receipt. Despite Balita’s repeated and malicious publication of this story without regards for responsible, truthful and ethical journalism, Bander had placed himself before the court in the fall of 2006 by requesting a formal Reinvestigation, which the court granted. He appeared at the Manila fiscal’s office, but the “fictitious” ‘San Jose’ did not appear. “I was amazed how pathetic the Manila Fiscal’s office looked,” recounted Bander. “They did not even have a phone or a computer at their desks.”

“Everyone Wanted a Bribe” Rabe’s law firm then filed a Petition for Review with the Philippine Department of Justice in October 2007, with Bander further placing himself within the structures of the Philippine Justice system, despite Rhony Laigo’s claim that Bander was “making a mockery of Philippine justice system.” After six months inquiries were made and a meeting was set up through the assistance of a congressional office. “I was quite surprised to be meeting with about four (4) Justice Department officials, and a couple of congressional aides,” Bander recalls. “Then the bigger guy showed up. I think he was head of finance. We ate and talked about the case. I thanked everyone, paid for the food and left. Afterwards, my then attorney, Lloyd Nonato, told me these officials wanted money too, about $3000. I was incensed, but continued to refuse to pay these bribes.” In the meantime, Balita’s executive editor, Rhony Laigo, was instructed by his bosses, Anthony Allen and Luchie Mendoza-Allen, to fly to Manila and obtain a Hold Departure Order from the Bureau of Immigration through the help of his friends and former colleagues at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport beat. After Laigo reportedly bribed his way to obtaining a Hold Departure Order, Bander’s lawyer, Lloyd Nonato obtained a personal appointment with the Immigration Commissioner on October 29, 2009. He described to the com-

missioner how the charges were fabricated and was a big hoax. The commissioner directed Nonato to his aides, who asked for $4000 to lift the HDO. “At this point,” Bander recalls, “I decided to wait for the end of the Arroyo administration, as I will not pay bribes.” Aquino Wins In August 2010, after Noynoy Aquino was elected president, Bander traveled to Manila, and with the assistance of prominent attorney Sig Fortun the HDO was removed without the payment of any bribes, and a few months later Bander was acquitted by the trial court. “I want to state,” Bander said, “that at no time did anyone from the court in any way ask for a bribe, nor did anyone even intimate that I should.” Joel Lucanan was the Manila Trial Court judge. “From my few times in court, Judge Lucanan treated everyone with dignity and fairness, even though he was just handling minor matters,” Bander added. Atty. Sig Fortun told PinoyWatchDog.com, “I represented Atty. Bander as a brethren who has helped so many Filipinos. I did not want him to think that Filipino Justice is so corrupt.” However, corrupt elements of the Philippine American Media that only wish Attorney Bander harm continue to discuss this criminal case as if the underlying facts have any basis in truth, or that Bander somehow was running from even a corrupt criminal justice system.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Atty. Paul ‘Boy’ Allen, Fronting for Others, He also Faces Contempt of Court Charges Beirne Stops Advertising in Face of Contem pt Charges. Is He Shutting Down Law Office?

From Page 3

Sexton (a Beirne staff member) sold me a bankruptcy petition. It looks like they are doing the same thing here.” “Do they think Filipinos are stupid?” asked one friend of Duldulao. “A new admittee with no experience suddenly has three law office locations and full ad campaign. Seems pretty obvious that this boy is not in charge of the law office, he is just a front, and that is dangerous to the Filipino community.”

PinoyWatchDog.com’s investigation has revealed that numerous former Beirne clients experienced the same ‘bait and switch’ techniques, going to the office for debt relief and being sold a bankruptcy. “I understand that standard attorney fees for debt relief are about $2500. It involves a lot of work, and success rates are not that high,” said Atty. Dennis P. Wilson. “However, if you sell a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition along with lien stripping (procedure to take a second mortgage off a home) the law firm can charge $8000.”

Attorney Beirne Shutting Down Law Office? Media observers in the Fil-Am community are of the opinion that these moves by the Balita/Beirne owners are in preparation for Atty. Beirne’s exit from the practice of law in the face of crippling contempt of court charges pending which number over 200. Indeed, Beirne has ceased advertising except for an outdated, misleading and factually incorrect ‘Setting the Record Straight’ open letter that still says “Merry Christmas” in the middle of February.

One reliable observer said that Anthony Allen and Luchie Mendoza have long intended to move Beirne out and start anew with the younger Paul ‘Boy’ Allen, but with the pending criminal trial looming against Beirne the calendar for this roll-out was moved forward, even though Attorney Allen does not yet have experience to practice law on his own. “Please tell your readers at PinoyWatchDog this” the friend continued, “so others do not lose their house by this group’s fraud on all Filipinos.”

PinoyWatchDog.com Investigation Unearths Architects of Bander Fictitious Sex Scandal From Page 1

clients. In addition, the business owner, Vivian Fermin, allegedly was using her ability to sponsor immigration petitions as a bargaining chip to try to force the dismissal of the underpaid workers’ lawsuit. Le Vien Homes, Taliavi Enterprises and Vivian Fermin were being represented by Fil-Am attorney. This employer even arranged for another attorney, Scott Glovsky, to represent “retracting” employees. Glovsky would send letters of representation to Bander and then just dismiss the employees’ cases. “This is not the job of a true worker’s advocate,” Bander stated.

The Alleged Perpetrator This dispute raged on, with false declarations of scared employees tendered to the court by Attorney Glovsky and the Fil-Am attorney. That situation has made those employees no longer interested in the tens of thousands of dollars of settlements; they just wanted to forget everything. PinoyWatchDog.com does not have information whether those two lawyers were aware that Beirne was representing both employer and employees. But, Vivian Fermin, Balita Media, Beirne Law Office and its non-lawyer owners, Anthony Allen and Luchie Mendoza-Allen, still were not satisfied. As shown in an accompanying story “How Bander’s Enemies Set Him Up for Fake Sex Scandal”, PinoyWatchDog.com’s investigation has determined that it was Vivian Fermin who was behind Myrna Tiu’s planning of the fictitious ‘Christina San Jose’ to malign Bander because he was so successfully representing Fermin’s workers who were denied their rightful wages. The PinoyWatchDog.com Investigative Team has spoken with the confidential investigator hired by Bander to investigate Myrna Tiu, who actually used her real name in her communications with Bander and his staff in Manila. Court filings in Manila contain detailed text message exchanges between former Bander staffer, Lotis Rosario, now a leading clerk at the Philippine Supreme Court, and a purported brother of the fictitious ‘San Jose’ seeking money to reveal was behind the set-up, asked if Bander is staying in the Discovery Suites in Ortigas. “Hardly anyone knew where I was staying when I went to Manila, for security concerns. I am still that way,” Bander said. “I am still cannot be sure of Balita Media’s plans to harm me.” When PinoyWatchDog.com asked the investigator how could this person know where Bander was staying then? He responded, “I learned that the brother of a Le Vein homes staff member was the night manager of Discovery Suites. It was a coincidence. That is how Fermin knew where Bander used to stay. I could not find any other reason this low-life trying to extort money from Bander because Fermin didn’t pay them to know where he was staying.” The investigator reported: “I personally called Myrna Tiu from the cell phone number she had provided Bander’s assistant. She admitted knowing Vivian Fermin. But once I asked more she hung up the phone.” Digging further, the investigator tracked Tiu to a small agricultural bank in Lucena, Lagua, where he had some good connections. He found the bank president who was livid about being asked about Tiu, stating “she swindled us

for about a million pesos using false real estate documents as collateral.” During 2006 Bander remained quiet regarding this fake criminal matter, waiting for the investigation and criminal process to play out. However, Fermin and Balita were just feeling uneasy because they weren’t getting any reaction from Bander. On September 25, 2006, then Balita Editor James Saspa, wrote Bander’s office seeking comment on the fake charges, even one reported in the newspaper purportedly existing in Taguig that did not exist at all. It has been reported that Saspa was an illegal alien at the time he was Balita’s Editor, and they also used an immigration petition over his head to make him work beyond the prescribed legal number of hours at low wages.

“I told them if they reported it I would sue for defamation,” Bander revealed. No story ever ran in Balita until Rhony Laigo traveled to Manila just to arrange for a Hold Detention Order from the former corrupt Arroyo administration. Laigo took this action after Bander exposed Balita Media’s pattern of false advertising regarding the true circulation figures of Balita. But the Bander versus Balita/ Beirne dispute all started when Beirne’s law firm started calling Bander’s clients to have them withdraw from righteous wage claims. PinoyWatchDog.com will continue to inform the community about the roots of this dispute, and await Mr. Rhony Laigo’s unsubstantiated denials without facts; his made up stories and maniacal rants.

Compatriot of Beirne and Balita Behind Fake Arrest Filing Against Attorney Bander

Beirne Unethically Represented Employer and Employees However, a different attorney’s office was the one that made the greatest impact: the Law Office of James P. Beirne. Atty. Bander told PinoyWatchDog.com that in 2006, a Bander client, one of the workers that filed the lawsuit, received a call from a Beirne staff member, Lita Brutas, saying, “How can you be suing your employer when they are sponsoring you for your labor certification?” The anomaly here was that Beirne was representing the workers for their labor certification, but he was also representing the owners of the business as counsel for the lawsuit, a practice that is totally unethical. In addition, Ms. Brutas was the same Beirne staff member that purportedly arranged successive labor certification petitions using fake employers in the case of Mr. Rey Villarica (PinoyWatchDog. com, Nov. 26, 2011 issue). “I was pretty incensed by the complete lack of ethics of the Beirne Law Office,” Bander told PinoyWatchDog. com. “They were co-presenting both the employer and employee. Such a tactic was way beyond ethical bounds.” Balita Media Owns Beirne Law Office Bander recalls that when he recounted the incident to a prominent FilipinoAmerican he was immediately informed, “Don’t you know that Balita newspaper is the real owner of that law office? Beirne does not own the law office. He is not in charge. It is owned by the newspaper owners, Anthony Allen and Luchie Mendoza. It is an open secret in the Filipino community.” In retrospect, Bander had no idea how true that was. But it made sense; any ethically managed law firm would not call a client co-represented with an employer and threaten them, in essence, choosing one client – the one with more money – over the other.

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Editorial

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Setting the Record Straight for Atty. Beirne and Balita Media, Part II

N the last two editions of Balita, the tabloid newspaper had accused PinoyWatchDog.com as “Liar, Liar.” Now that borders on the comedic and smacks of irresponsibility. But we are not at all surprised at Balita’s irresponsible behavior. After all, its editor, who was not man enough, had called our writers and editors a bunch of “pseudo-journalists who have ingested rat poison.” Come on, is that language expected from a man who professes that he is a “practicing journalist”? Was PinoyWatchDog.com lying when it exposed Atty. Beirne’s mismanagement of the bankruptcy petition filing for Diosdado and Janet Dudulao, (PinoyWatchDog.com, Oct. 7, 2011 issue) who lost their Eagle Rock House because Atty. Beirne failed to file a petition in their behalf after the couple paid the “good” attorney a substantial amount of money? On second thought, maybe, there is an iota of truth in Balita editor Rhony Laigo’s claim that he is a ”practicing journalist” as he indeed needs to practice a lot. A case in point is Laigo’s fulminating story in the last weekend and midweek editions of his tabloid newspaper Balita, which labeled PinoyWatchDog.com as “liar, liar.” Even his headline was not original; it came from a movie title, which gives us an idea. Why don’t you, Mr. Laigo, with your propensity to write fiction, try your luck at writing movie scripts in Hollywood? Who knows, you may finally find your niche there. Was PinoyWatchDog.com lying when it published the story of Gertrudes and Rick Pecaoco of Burbank (PinoyWatchDog.com, Nov. 26, 2011 issue) whose bankruptcy petition filing was messed up by the “good” lawyer Beirne when he filed the wrong bankruptcy petition, and the bankruptcy judge summarily dismissed it? And the law office of the “good” Atty. Beirne would not refund the fee paid by the Pecaocos? Was PinoyWatchDog.com lying when it published the “horrible” story unveiled by Rey Villarica, who paid the “good” lawyer about $7000 for a green card, and Beirne’s office used three fictitious companies as make-believe petitioners of Villarica? Now, righteous and “practicing journalist” Mr. Rhony Laigo, did your experience covering the Ninoy Aquino International Airport beat as a photographer prepare you enough for the dirty assignment that your handlers are pressing you to do now? Honestly, we can’t envy your position even though we know that your patrons are paying you very well. But, money is not everything, if your conscience is not making you sleep well at night. So, man up, Rhony Laigo, and show some independent spirit by being an ethical journalist. This is the United States of America. This is not Manila, or the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Journalists do not fear for their lives here, unlike in the Philippines. So on that score, Rhony Laigo, there is nothing to fear by reporting the truth. At PinoyWatchDog.com, truth is our reason for being. So if you continue calling us liars, it will not stop us from reporting the truth, and that includes, “the lies, the misleading and false advertising that is being practiced by Atty. Beirne. And those are not fictional. Just ask Judge Soussan Bruguera of the Los Angeles Superior Court who has jurisdiction over Atty. Beirne’s more than 200 contempt of court violations, which is slated for a settlement conference on February 27th. So, the lesson here, Mr. Laigo, is that you are not above the law to pronounce that what we have been publishing about Atty. Beirne’s violations are “lies and baseless,” because the ultimate arbiter of that is Judge Bruguera, and if you still think we are lying, you should take a vacation somewhere where irresponsible reasoning like yours are tolerated. PinoyWatchDog.com

is published fortnightly by Tanod Bayan, Inc., mailing address at P.O. Box 91400, Los Angeles, California 90009, Telephone Number (213) 261-7467 and e-mail address at editor@pinoywatchdog.com

Alfonso Gaerlan Aquino Executive Editor

Joel Bander Senior Columnist

Francis Johann Verdote Correspondent

Dionesio C. Grava Chief of Reporters Larry Pelayo Contributing Writer

Rene Villaroman Managing Editor Sarah Lei Spagnolo Advertising Manager Lifestyle Editor Arturo Cariaga, Winston A. Marbella Manila Correspondents

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Animal Menagerie

Buwaya! In the Philippines, persons who want them all, either as gluttons, prevaricators or hoarders, are called “Buwaya”, its English word is crocodile. I wonder why. Is the crocodile really that voracious? But it is not surprising if Mr. Rhony Laigo and his handlers from Balita have already earned that title. For denouncing the fortnightly newspaper Pinoywatchdog.com as Bander’s, and in one fell swoop claiming that everything the paper publishes about Atty. James G. Beirne are nothing but lies, in the process branding the paper: PWD-Liar, Liar! You would think this is having it all, in one bolt of lightning. Not on your life, Mr. Laigo. Buwaya! Here’s the real score. Atty. Joel Bander provides the finances to get the paper published. Is that a crime? Yet, he is not Pinoywatchdog.com nor is he making claims that he owns the paper and can dictate to the staff what they can write. What we write is based on a high and ethical standard we all agreed upon, including Atty. Joel Bander. Tanod Bayan, Inc. is the publisher and I am the President of the corporation, and I can certainly give it straight to his face to go to hell if he tells me to write what is not truthful. He is a gentleman and he is not going to do that, this I know for sure. We do not work for him, we work together, as a team, that is why he is our senior columnist. Get that straight in your thick head, Mr. Rhony Laigo. By the way, can you say “go to hell” to the owners of Balita if they ask you to write lies? I believe you have been writing lies in previous articles and you’re writing lies again. Just say--”go to hell” to your handlers if you’ve got the balls, Mr. Rhony Laigo. But you can’t say anything because it would mean losing your bread and butter. Look who is the prevaricator here: PWD claimed that Atty. James G. Beirne “may” go to jail for Contempt of Court charges. This is true because he can be liable if found guilty. What is not true, and therefore a lie,

is Laigo’s assertion that Atty. Beirne’s going to jail for contempt of court “is not true and will never happen”. He is so certain that he does not care about what the judge has to say. I bet you this guy Laigo, is either deliberately and willfully embellishing things or just plain suffering from sheer ignorance of court procedures when he claimed that PWD had been lying just to malign Atty. Beirne when the PWD investigative team reported that there will be a hearing on February 27, 2012 on the Contempt of Court charges against Atty. James G. Beirne. This court hearing date is on record and it was set by the Court. However, the Court cancelled the hearing date and instead assigned the parties to a settlement conference. Mr. Laigo, it is a lie to claim with utmost certainty that nothing will ever happen to these charges. If the charges will not be dismissed, they will remain staring at your faces--at Atty. Beirne’s, at your handsome mug, Mr. Laigo, and at your demented handlers. These charges will not simply vanish.Your greed for lies is insatiable! Is it because you subscribe to Hitler’s maxim: It’s not a lie, if you believe in it. BUWAYA! 2. Dead Duck The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is a dead duck. With the revelation of his undeclared and under declared assets in the tune of tens of millions of pesos, CJ Renato Corona is cooked, and for that matter, whatever is the result of his impeachment trial: convicted or exonerated. The Constitution requires public officials to disclose all of their assets and that failing to do so would constitute “prima facie evidence of ill-gotten and unexplained wealth”. The defense ploy is to have all these revelations declared inadmissible evidences because they were extracted illegally, but the impeachment court thought otherwise and admitted them anyway, except for the dollar bank accounts which was restrained by the Supreme Court. In this regard, the impeachment court wiseTurn to Page 7

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Opinion

Teachable moments in trial

O matter how the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona goes, we shall have learned many things about governance that will far outweigh the specific benefits of the trial. First, we have seen the principal characters in the trial perform up close and personal, and we are now better able to assess them as senators and congressmen. The trial takes them out of their comfort zones and reveal to us insights into their character that are not normally available to us in the legislative setting. Character exposed For example, we catch glimpses into their work habits, values, and powers of critical thinking that reveal a fuller measure of them as leaders of men. These will guide us better when they run for election again. In this category, the sterling performances of the following are worth noting: Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III, and Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Gregorio Honasan, Chiz Escudero, Aquilino Pimentel III, Manny Villar, Pia Cayetano, and Bongbong Marcos, to cite the more notable ones. Second, the trial gives us a more rounded view of constitutional and legal concepts we have taken for granted, and how these ideas give flesh and blood to our democracy. Concepts like presumption of innocence, burden of proof, the rule of law, and rules of evidence and procedure, and how these precepts aid the search for truth and justice.

Deception Conversely, we have also seen how the same lofty ideals, in the hands of demagogues, can be turned into instruments of deception abuse. All told, we also learn that making democracy work is a difficult task, and that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. We realize in the process that democracy is a precious gift that we must preserve and nurture for the generations yet to come. We begin to appreciate, too, the sacrifices that our forefathers endured to give us the freedoms we enjoy today. In the short history of our republic, each generation has confronted choices that have led to the kind of democracy we have today. The fathers of our nation shed copious blood in the struggle for independence against Spain, the United States, and Japan. We have stood at the crossroads of history on many occasions and have made difficult decisions. Crossroad We stand before such a crossroad again today. We can either doom our nation’s future or build a better world for our children. But it will take much more than our legendary skills for political combat -- or even our vaunted resiliency and ingenuity in the face of difficulties -to secure our future. Those whom we elect to public office must accept the heavy burden of making difficult decisions no matter how unpopular or how they will make popular decisions no matter how foolish. They must learn to distinguish between popularity and principle, between conscience and compromise, and be ready to forsake

the fleeting acclamation of the thundering throng for the more lasting judgment of history. Wisdom Our leaders must learn to follow conscience over expedience, no matter how difficult, secure only in the belief that they will be redeemed ultimately by the wisdom of the people they have sworn to serve, or if not, at least by the enduring judgment of history. Surely they cannot choose the challenges they face, but they can certainly choose the decisions they make. In turn, we, the people, will constantly need to affirm our belief in the inherent soundness of our institutions to correct the wrong decisions we make, and in the ultimate wisdom of our people to see the long view, to choose the right path, and to secure a regime of prosperity for our children. Hopes and dreams To educate the young, to care for the sick, to provide economic opportunity to the jobless, to bring light to those who still live in darkness, to provide water for the thirsty, food for the hungry, dignity for the poor and neglected -- these are hopes worthy of our dreams. To achieve them we need not only to mobilize the best and the brightest among us but also to inspire the bravest and noblest within us. We are only as noble as our dreams, and as brave as our convictions. Each of us must find within our hearts the burning fervor for a country the making of which our forefathers willingly gave up their lives for. Our road map to the future cannot be found in the wind-tossed popularity charts of public opinion polls, but in the breadth of our vision and the sincerity of our intentions. Each of us must find in his own heart the wisdom to seek a better world for our children.

I support the CAParental Rights signature campaign

seldom support a campaign like this openly. When I read a flyer being passed around in our Church from the Californians for Parental Rights (CAParental Rights) or CPR group, the “negative impact” of a current medical practice in California shocked me to the bone. It mentioned, “In California a girl under 18 years can’t get a flu shot, a cavity filled, or an aspirin dispensed by the school nurse without a parent knowing. BUT a doctor can perform a surgical or chemical abortion on a minor girl (under 18) without informing her parents.” Current California law allows secrecy for confidential medical services and as such, a young girl could have multiple abortions – at state expenses-- without her parents’ knowledge. By some reports, not once, but multiple abortions. There were many sex crimes which remained unpunished to date and not reported because of the usage of our current medical secrecy laws. We support those on a case to case basis. BUT when it involves the practice of abortion to hide the wrongs of modern-day Lotharios who impregnate young girls, we say a big NO and give our support to the Child & Teen Safety and Stop Predators Act this coming November 2012 California election. There are times when what is legally right is morally wrong. The law allows the practice of abortion and sanctions the existence of many abortion clinics. Those who practiced abortion close their ears and eyes; and refuse to hear the words of God that they heard through their pastors in the Church and what they read in the Bible. The desire and attempt to hide their crimes of abominations prevail. These people say “Forget about God. I want to hide my sin; to be free from my crime and not answerable nor accountable to society. Forget morality as long as I can be free from shame. For actually, our laws are just the works of men and plastic society ruled by lawmakers who vote against what they are doing secretly.” The increase in the existence and

New destiny We need to put our contentious conflicts behind us and chart a new destiny for ourselves. We need to test daily not only the courage of our convictions but also the nobility of our purpose. In the daily drudgery of making our democracy work, we must also participate in strengthening the foundations of our economic institutions brick by brick, stone upon stone. Occasionally, especially during elections, we are given the chance to create historic changes that either preserve our future or doom us. We make the choice.

From Page 6

Heroes A working democracy is as much a leap of faith as an act of sacrifice. Greatness is impossible without heroes and heroes are created as much by our own historical heritage as by our collective will to rise above our wretched politics and build a nation we can proudly call our own. We are what we are. But we are also our dreams. Surely we can make our dreams come true. If only we could find a few good men, just a few good men of courage, conscience, and conviction. We may still find several. For now, we can settle for even just one. That would be a good start. We, the people, will have to do the rest.

ly averted an impending constitutional crisis had it taken the path of disregarding the TRO issued by the Supreme Court. However, these tactics of the defense to resort to all kinds of technicalities are backfiring on them and what they have accomplished so far was to show weakness and desperation. Their client must be hiding a lot and they must keep the loot hidden. What is being ignored here are the millions of Filipinos who had been raring and ready to march if they do not get justice. You’ve gone crazy if you think they are not wise to it already, Mr. Cuevas. Try your shenanigans and you’ll have a massive EDSA revolt. Just accept that Mr. Corona is a dead duck and must now resign, to save the country and give justice to the Filipino people.

growth of abortion clinics is an offshoot in part of the medical service secrecy law. When parents are not informed nor given the right to know procedures to be done to their daughters regarding abortion which could have been prevented, the culprits and other sexual predators who prey on young girls remain untouched and scratch-free and continue to satisfy their never-ending thirst for sex with young girls. A report by the CPR shows 16,000 abortions are performed annually in California on teens under 18 years. Corollary with these are the accompanying emotional and medical problems arising from the guilt the teenagers suffer because of their unpreparedness for the practice. Many reports were gathered showing that the young girls were forced and coerced by their boyfriends or partners to practice abortions to hide their crimes from society. A group called the The Right to Live Movement said, “nowadays, the most dangerous place to live for babies is no longer their home nor the hospitals, but instead, the womb of mothers who practiced abortion without fear.” It’s a pity unborn babies did not only suffer the loss of the right to live, but they were also victims of undignified burials. Aborted babies were simply put inside bottles with formalin, or in boxes; buried or thrown into trash WITHOUT NAMES. Dogs fare even better at times because their owners put them into nice graveyards. I felt throat lump as I listened to the sermon of our priest, and as I read the flyer. There must be an end to abortion and to all these indignities. This is a challenge to all who read this. Support The Child & Teen Safety and Stop Predators Act of 2012. Join candle vigils in front of abortion clinics. Write your senators or congressmen showing your support to anti-abortion movements. As you write and affix your signature to the petitions, the angels in heaven will sing.

Animal Menagerie

3. Clowns, send in the clowns..... FACLA is now in turmoil again. The election of the executive officers and their subsequent induction into office were declared invalid during the regular meeting of the Board of Directors on February 6, 2012 and a new set of officers shall be elected on the next regular meeting on February 20, 2012. This situation puts the organization inoperable because from February 7 to February 20, no officer is running FACLA. Now, I learned that certain officers have gone to court to seek relief. Here we go again. This turn of events are indeed very serious. However, on the lighter side, two court reinstated female directors would rather play clowns. They are Rita Dinsay and Linda Nery, who would indeed be troublesome clowns. Send in the clowns.....

Saturday, February 18, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Voting, Fil- Ams & Civic Duty (Don’t You Dare Not Exercise it!)

N the course of preparing to write an article, this writer first performs a ritual scanning of trending topics on the net and attempts (somewhat heroically) to pick one that would be of great if not prurient interest to most Pinoy- Ams, at least those who might care to look away from TFC once in a while and discover a world around them that’s not populated by crying, vengeful underdog heroines and their ever faithful and supportive gay BFFs. Granted, not every Pinoy- Am in LA County has the privilege of being able to vote in this country, but we do have enough numbers to be considered viable and significant, especially in key areas; while this writer tries to exercise his civic duty and vote in each and every election, he is somewhat perturbed to observe that he is, at best, among the minority within our ever- increasing Pinoy community who go out of their way to make that vote count. Having lauded our exemplary Pinoy work ethic, it nevertheless should not be a hindrance to performing one’s civic duty; yes, having 2 or 3 jobs does present a challenge to most of our Kababayans, but voting should be considered as important as paying your taxes (ok not the best comparison), doing the laundry or playing the Lotto, not necessarily in that or-

der. What we are trying to express here is that voting is quite an honor and a privilege, and that it is one of those things about being (Filipino-) American that should make one proud and stir up one’s more noble instincts and actions. One of the privileges of being able to live in the US is that one lives in a Democracy. That means that you, Juan/Juana De La Cruz, have a say in how it is run and who gets to do the running. Your local officials, the ones who decide which streets get paved and what potholes get to be filled- you get to elect them. Yes, YOU. Need a traffic light installed at a critical place? Papa Piolo can’t help you there. You need to call your local Councilmember; getting the actual desired result is another story. Nationally, there are currently many, many issues that citizens face, such as unemployment, education funding, military deployments and reproductive rights. These are just a few concerns which significantly affect the quality of your life at this very moment. Do yourself a favor and stop to think about the future: the youth, our KIDS, will one day inherit all of today’s problems, so you can add the environment, hunger, poverty, fossil fuel consumption, farming and the dwindling food supply to the list. If one does not vote, he or she unnecessarily throws away

the ability to have any say in the matter. That’s so unnecessary, and in my 15-year-old daughter’s lingo, that is “just lame!” It has been said that the only way democracy works is if citizens, young and old, are active participants. In Los Angeles in 1960, 88.5 % of citizens voted in the general election. In 2010, only 43.3% voted. Really? Do you really want only 4 out of every 10 people in your community to make the decisions for you? Do you really want to exclude your personal influence, your voice, your right to make a difference in important issues? Suffice it to say that if you choose not to vote, you actually have no right to complain about government decisions you don’t agree with. If you

ecutors’ initial presentation. Even the experienced private prosecutors who were helping the House prosecutors seemed ill equipped in battling the legendary Cuevas. In his cross examination of the prosecutors’ witnesses, Cuevas assaulted them with a “take no prisoner” stance and at one point declared one witness as “bankrupt.” He was brutally effective in pulverizing the testimony of the witnesses and neutralizing the prosecutors with his courtroom maneuvers… until he met his Waterloo.

Garcia III testified on five domestic accounts of Corona, which revealed that as of December 31, 2010, Corona’s total peso deposits at PSBank was P19,728,555.39. This did not include Corona’s five dollar accounts, which he claimed couldn’t be disclosed under R.A. 6426, the Foreign Currency Deposit Act. The following day (Day 15), Leonora Dizon, branch manager of the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) presented bank documents that showed that Corona’s checking account had an ending balance of P12,024,067.70 as of December 31, 2010.

‘Catch me if you can’

AS it occurred to you that when a person tries to convince others, more doubts are raised about that person’s sincerity or honesty? Such is the situation that Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona has gotten himself into. It’s likened to a person who falls into a quicksand; the more he tries to get out of it, the faster he sinks. But if that person remained immobile he’d still sink nevertheless. The lesson here is: Don’t go near a quicksand. And that’s precisely what Corona did when he accepted an illegal appointment from then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during a period when a ban on “midnight appointments” was in effect. He jumped into a quicksand knowing full well that he might not get out of it! It’s a case of “come what may” or “bahala na.” It did not then come as a surprise when a year and a half after he reached the pinnacle of his career – a dream come true – Corona found himself in a quicksand of legal and moral questions about his ascendancy to the highest position of the judicial branch of government. And now, he is struggling to save his career and what is left of his reputation. He might have a chance of saving his career; however, it seems that his reputation is now stained indelibly as a result of a slew of damaging evidence that came out at the Senate impeachment trial in which he is accused of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust. When the Senate impeachment trial began, Corona’s battery of topnotch lawyers led by retired Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas took the offensive like a German blitzkrieg, which caused heavy damage to the House pros-

Discrepancies An unexpected turn of events happened last February 6 (Day 12 of the trial) when Cuevas crossexamined Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares. Henares testified that she found discrepancies in Corona’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) in the years from 2003 to 2010. She gave a detailed breakdown of the discrepancies. For instance, in 2010 – when he was already Chief Justice – Corona declared only P14.5 million in his SALN when in fact he owned P50 million in assets. Cuevas abruptly moved to have Henares’ testimony stricken from the impeachment trial records, saying that Henares was not an “expert witness.” But the private prosecutor, Arthur Lim, retorted and pointed out that Cuevas had just qualified her to be an “expert witness.” The president officer, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, agreed with Lim and let Henares’ testimony stay. It was only then that the foxy Cuevas realized that Lim had outfoxed him. Unreported wealth The stinger came on February 8 (Day 14) when Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) president Pascual

Let’s do our math: Between the two banks, Corona’s cash deposits – excluding his secret dollar accounts – total P31,752,623.09. That’s P28,252,623.09 more than the P3.5 million he declared in his 2010 SALN. However, if you add the secret dollar deposit account of $700,000 that Corona allegedly deposited in 2008 at PSBank, then the total unreported amount could be as high as P66 million in 2010. Incidentally, Corona through Cuevas admitted the existence of his dollar accounts; however, he refused to authorize disclosure at this time saying that he’d disclose them in due time. Hmm… do I smell a

don’t vote you are personally stating that you do NOT care how your city, county, state or country is run, therefore, where in God’s green earth did you get the idea that you can actually complain when the government does something you don’t like? Wanna have a say in issues which really do concern you? Then you must bring to bear your right to vote. Enter FILVOTE. This writer has known Susan E. Dilkes, Executive Director of FASGI (Filipino- American Service Group, Inc. which runs FILVOTE) since the late 90’s and believes strongly in the cause. Susan has been a very strong proponent of the importance of voting and encourages all our Kababayans who can, to just go out and VOTE. FILVOTE’s motto is “Think. Serve. Believe. Repeat.” and is focused on harnessing Filipino American idealism toward political engagement. “FILVOTE is focused on building political significance and influence for the ordinary Filipino American, a longdeferred dream,” says R. Bong Vergara, volunteer Program Director for FILVOTE. From their website, it was gleaned that FILVOTE has launched local drives to register eligible voters in various cities across the county where Filipino Americans are concentrated. FILVOTE’s objective is to register 15,000 new voters in LA County. The aim is to “lay the groundwork for broad community engagement and participation in the 2012 election.” To be eligible to register to vote in California, one must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of California, at least

18 years of age (or will be by the date of the next election), and “not in prison or on parole for a felony conviction.” (understandably!) FILVOTE is FASGI’s nonpartisan voter engagement project whose mission is to unite Filipino Americans across ideological, religious, and class differences toward gaining genuine political power in the U.S. Since its creation in 1996, FILVOTE has registered over 25,000 Filipino American voters in LA County, held multiple candidate forums and conducted voter behavior research. Interested? Find out more at www.filvote.net. Volunteers and supporters are encouraged to contact FILVOTE at fasgi@fasgi.org. Having once been a FILVOTE volunteer, this writer strongly encourages those in our community who have the inclination, energy and time to go out and also volunteer for the organization. And, regardless of your politics, take the time to study local issues which directly affect you, and get with it- be involved. Your future, your kids and grandkids’ futures depend on how this generation votes, and what we do to make a difference. Make a difference. Vote. (Joe Arciaga is the Executive Director of the Filipino- American Chamber of Commerce-LA. He is also a local California- licensed Insurance Agent with Farmers Insurance, serving LA & the entire San Fernando Valley. He would be very glad to help you obtain the best coverage plans for Auto, Home, Life, Business, Health, and Workers Compensation. Contact him at 818.457.8408)

stinking fish here?

closer to pinning him down, he would run to the Supreme Court and ask for a TRO. With at least eight justices – all Arroyo appointees -- closely allied with him, he has a good chance of getting a TRO to stop the impeachment proceedings for good. The question is: Does the Senate impeachment court have the temerity to defy the Supreme Court and proceed with the impeachment trial? It is interesting to note that before the impeachment trial started last January, Enrile commented during a radio interview that Malacañang and the Supreme Court should not meddle in the impeachment trial. He said that only God and the people could dictate terms on him and that the only one who could stop the trial is “the might of the military.” In my opinion, Corona would eventually get his “acquittal by TRO,” thanks to his allies in the Supreme Court. And as expected, Enrile would stand by his word. But he has only one vote. Would the majority of the senator-judges back him up and defy the Supreme Court? Or would they side with Senators Miriam DefensorSantiago and Joker Arroyo who have repeatedly manifested their beliefs that the Supreme Court is higher than the impeachment court and therefore should prevail? Last February 14 (Day 17), his 88th birthday, Enrile was asked what he wished for himself on his birthday. He said, “My wish is for God to give me the stamina and divine light to do what is right in the remaining years of my life.” For someone who had been in both the wrong side and right side of history, how would he want to be remembered as the presiding officer of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona? (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

Attack the “enemy” With this incontrovertible evidence, Corona is faced with a difficult situation. How could he convince the impeachment court -- and the court of public opinion – of his innocence? He must have realized then that the impeachment court is an unfriendly territory. He had to find another venue where he could extricate himself out of the quicksand he trapped himself into. On February 12, on the eve of the Day 15 trial, several members of Corona’s defense team held a press conference where they alleged that an unnamed source gave them “reliable” information that President Benigno Aquino III through Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. attempted to bribe the senator-judges P100 million each to disregard the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court on the disclosure of Corona’s dollar accounts. As he attacked the “enemy” using the media, Corona also petitioned the Supreme Court to issue a TRO and void the impeachment proceedings. In an en banc session last February 9, the high court decided to defer issuing a TRO; however, it required the respondents to comment within 10 days. Last February 13, Corona upped the ante and filed a supplemental petition to reinforce his bid to stop the impeachment trial. He accused five senator-judges of being partial against him. One senator-judge opined that Corona’s strategy in filing the supplemental petition is to open the way for a mistrial. “Acquittal by TRO” Evidently, Corona is now taking an unorthodox approach to secure his acquittal, he is playing “catch me if you can” by bringing the Supreme Court into play; that is, each time the prosecution gets

Saturday, February 18, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Community

S. Mark Taper Foundation Awards APHCV $50,000 To Provide Health Care to Underserved in LA County

OS ANGELES – The S. Mark Taper Foundation announced that it was awarding Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. (APHCV) $50,000 in general operating support to help provide needed care to uninsured Los Angeles County residents. This grant is part of the Foundation’s commitment to supporting local community based organizations and their work to improve the lives of Los Angeles County residents. APHCV has been part of that effort for almost 25 years, providing primary and preventive health care to low-income, uninsured and underinsured Los Angeles County residents. In particular, APHCV helps fill the gap in available health

care services to monolingual Asians and Latinos in our service area, providing culturally competent and linguistically sensitive health care services. APHCV is the only community health center in Los Angeles County with the capacity to provide onsite interpretation in ten Asian languages (Bengali, Cantonese, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese) and Spanish throughout the continuum of care from appointment-setting, registration, financial screening, health insurance enrollment assistance, health education, and the medical visit with their primary care provider. As funding for nonprofits and health centers, in particular,

continues to be at risk, the support from private foundations has become ever more important to make health care accessible to all members of our community. The S. Mark Taper Foundation continues to help sustain those services and ensure that our communities continue to thrive and live healthy lives. “Asian Pacific Health Care Venture is grateful to the S. Mark Taper Foundation, and their continued support of the successful delivery of health care to some of our most vulnerable populations,” said Kazue Shibata, CEO of APHCV. “These funds will continue to play a vital role in helping Asian Pacific Health Care Venture provide health care to the underserved.”

Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. (www.aphcv.org) is a nonprofit federally-qualified health center that provides culturally competent health education and primary care services to over 12,000 patients annually, more than 72% of whom are uninsured. APHCV provides over 46,400 medical and mental health visits each year in multiple Asian languages, in addition to English and Spanish. APHCV operates three community health center sites: the Los Feliz Health Center, Belmont Health Services and John Marshall High School Health Center (for John Marshall High School students). APHCV can be reached at Center can be made by calling (323) 644-3880. Medical appoint- (323) 644-3888 and to the Belmont ments for the Los Feliz Health Health Services at (323) 644-3885.

E.C. Ferrer is New President of Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA; Swearing-in and Gala Night Slated June 9

ERRITO -- Entrepreneur and community leader Eddie C. Ferrer was elected as the 14th president of Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA for 2012-2013. He will succeed Dan E. Nino, once his student in high school at the St. Louis University Boys High in Baguio City. Ferrer, a former radio broadcaster whose maternal root is from Dagupan City, was also a former president of the Filipino-American Community of Orange County. He is also the

CEO of E.C. Ferrer Customs House Broker, Inc., based in Long Beach and who was one of the Ten Outstanding Pangasinan Entrepreneurs (TOPE) in Southern California in 2010. Like his predecessor, Ferrer pledged to continue Mr. Nino’s Scholarship Program, the centerpiece of his administration that will benefit the less-privileged college-bound students from 48 towns and cities of Pangasinan province spread out in six congressional districts. He will be swornin with the rest of his elected and appointed officers on June 9 at Embassy Suites in Anaheim near Disneyland to coincide with the 34th anniversary foundation of the umbrella organization. They include Nancy Tandoc-Buenviaje as executive vice president; Marites O. Bautista, Roger A. Cabal, Roger T. Coson, Mila M. Maramba,, Lilia C. Palaganas and Fidel P. Solomon, vice presidents; Digna V. Martinez, recording secretary; Perla M. Rasing, corresponding secretary; Gilda N. Dela Cruz, treasurer; Liza T. Braganza, assistant treasurer; Cecile E. Coson and Josue E. Gabrillo, auditors; Noemi V. Dumlao and Vicky P. De Leon, public relations officers; Eleanor D. Gabrillo and Cecilia D. Ranches, business managers; Rupito O. Baylon and Rey S. Rodrigo, marshals; Jess Lagoy Castillo and Louie B. Arzadon, parliamentarians. The Board of Directors elected were

Mellie B. Soriano as chairperson; Ely TorresMadrid, vice chairperson; Lina R. Cabal, board secretary. The rest of the Board members are Jojo Braganza, Nieves C. Coquia, Consorcia D. Dela Cruz, Leoncio D. Dumlao, Rhene M. Ferrer, Johnny V. Maramba, Manny B. Rabara and Victor S. Ranches. Mel G. Oxciano was reappointed as legal counsel. Constitutional Committee chairpersons appointed were Dom Dela Cruz for Community Relations; Fernando R. Soriano for Finance; Josie Braganza for Membership and Lourdes P. Goodall for Ways & Means; Julius E. Sinlao as Webmaster and Jazmyne D. Bacani as Miss Pangasinan-USA. Other working committee chairs in support of the president’s administration are Tony Barlongo as chair of the Fund Solicitation Committee; Dan E. Nino, chair of Scholarship Program and Nieves C. Coquia, chair of the Executive Committee of the June 9 Gala Night and 34th Anniversary Foundation. Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA was founded in 1978, the brainchild of then Consul General of Los Angeles Armando C. Fernandez, also a fellow Pangasinense from Dagupan City. It is the biggest umbrella community organizations of all town associations in Southern California. Other past presidents who served Pangasinan Brotherhood since 1978 were Alfredo C. Reyes, Rene Casaclang, Ray A. Parayno, Adolfo U. Dotimas, Ernesto A. Reyes (deceased), Mel Castelo, Tony Barlongo, Tony Banaag, Gil B. Mislang, Bing Dela Vega, Ads E. Diaz, Mely I. Cerame and Dan E. Nino. Among the projects of PB-USA through the years included cooperative development program funding in Pangasinan, scholarship grants, disaster relief program and the recognition of outstanding Pangasinenses in the U.S. The June 9 Gala Night will also feature the muses and queens of various town associations, who are under the umbrella of Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA. It will be emceed by disc jockey E-Man of Power 106 FM whose roots are also from Pangasinan. Music and entertainment will be provided by Hill Tops Band. Donation for the dinner-dance ticket is $55. For reservation, Interested parties may contact Eddie C. Ferrer at 714-761-1597, Nieves C. Coquia, 323-662-1113; Lina R. Cabal, 562-841-5966. – Dan Nino.

Former Baguio City Residents To Meet in National City

AN DIEGO – Former Baguio City residents now living in Southern California will meet on March 11 at the COPAO Office located on 832 E. Avenue, National City, CA 91950 on March 11 (Sunday) from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. This was announced by Julius E. Sinlao, the new president of Baguio Assn. of San Diego County whose members include those residing in Orange County and the Inland Empire. Julius E. Sinlao, an alumnus of St. Louis University, succeeded Lalaine Velasco. The Baguio Association of San Diego County is the only brick and mortar Baguio City Association that exists in the United States. It was founded in 1990 with Imelda Vergara as its first president and Lito Reclosado and Ben Floresca as vice presidents. The Baguio Association has ongoing projects to benefit the natives of Baguio City like sending school supplies, textbooks and computers to indigent children of this mountain city in Northern Philippines. It had also shipped used firefighting gears collected from San Diego Fire Departments to an all volunteer firefighter brigade in Baguio City. Though the association has not officially endorsed Baguio City’s environmental groups such as Kafagway Movement whose aim is to protect the natural eco-system and preservation of Baguio City’s natural beauty, some members like Rudy Liporada and Julius E. Sinlao have supported the Kafagway Movement’s platforms and issues. Aside from its high elevation, it will be noted that the summer capital of the Philippines retains its cool and refreshing weather due to its abundant pine trees. Pine trees are now fast disappearing because of runaway commercialization of the city which is also known as the city of Pines. The long-term plan of the association is to strengthen and expand its membership especially in Southern California. Interested parties may contact Julius E. Sinlao at 858-863-7237 or his e-mail bytegate@yahoo.com and former president and now PRO Rudy Liporada at 858-722-1465 or rdliporada@gmail.com. The association’s official phone number is 858-215-2069 while the association’s e-mail address is: BaguioCityAssnSD@gmail.com. Interested parties may also visit its association Website at www.BaguioCityAssociationSD.org. – Dan E. Nino.

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Saturday, February 18, 2012 Gate to the FACLA compound in Temple St., Los Angeles.

Dismissed directors of FACLA reinstated. Nyet!

By Dionesio C. Grava Chief of Reporters

court in Los Angeles has mandated that five directors dismissed from the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) be reinstated. FACLA to court: Not just yet! In a Final Statement of Decision dated Feb. 1, 2012, a copy of which was obtained by this writer, Judge Michelle R. Rosenblatt of Dept. 40 of the Los Angeles Superior Court “reinstates Plaintiffs as directors of FACLA for the term commencing January 1,

2012, as their illegal removal was for almost an entire term.” The plaintiffs referred to are Oliver Sulit, Clarita Julian, Paul Julian, Rosalinda Nery, Purita Dinsay and Austin Baul. Except for Mrs. Julian, all were FACLA directors who, according to the court, were illegally removed from the organization. According to the Court findings, above plaintiffs were stripped of their status as executive officers of the FACLA Board during a specially set meeting of February 11, 2010. Thereafter, a court suit was initiated by plaintiffs asking the Court to set that decision aside as being without

due process. The Court said that while it finds nothing in the FACLA ByLaws preventing the Board from relieving appointed officers, it gives weight to the plaintiffs’ contention “that Defendants, although they put forth different reasons at trial, were in fact trying to clean house and bring in officers who were more sympathetic to the President’s positions.” “That is not grounds to remove an officer pursuant to Article V, Section 5, paragraph 4,” the Court determined, alluding to the organization’s by-laws. It said that the plaintiffs have sustained Turn to Page 17

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Lifestyle My Post Valentine’s Day Rambling

By Francis

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Johann Verdote Correspondent

“Ang kuwento ng pag-ibig ay kumusta at paalam.” - Eraserheads

hopeless romantic would say February is the month of love. Readers can call me a pessimist, a nihilist, or what some of my friends call me, kuya nega (Mister Negative), but February is not the month of love. The Philippine-American War on February 4 1899, where American troops killed an estimated half a million Filipinos, is a historical testament that February is not the month of love. The second month of the year is just what it is, month 2 out of 12.

I have been breathing the earth’s polluted air for three decades and have lived substantial years in Manila and Los Angeles, 20 years and 10 years respectively. Based on observation and experience, it is safe to assume that Valentine’s Day is not about St. Valentine or love. On the contrary, Valentine’s Day is a day of sex and consumerism. Ang araw ng puso ay araw ng suso. That is the Valentine’s Day celebration I grew up seeing in the Philippines. They say everything is about love, but many times the focus is purely on sex. Every Valentine’s Day back home, taxicabs line up outside the motels – in Malate, Santa Mesa, and Pasig – and commuters face traffic congestion worse than the L.A. rush hour. Occasionally, one would see a pedicab or two going inside motels. Many of the motel rooms are typically reserved ahead of time, but some are still available for walk-ins. While motels in the Philippines change customers every three hours or so, many Angelenos cram to reserve a table for two at some restaurants in Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica Promenade, or Los Feliz. There may be couples that wing it on the day itself and walk around Old Town Pasadena with high hopes of finding restaurants with available tables. For obvious reasons that I will not divulge, chocolate is an obligatory Valentine gift. But some people express their love in wild consumerist fashion – by buying their loved ones bulgogi watches – oooops, I mean Bulgari watches. Do peoples’ bodies respond similarly to chocolates and Bulgari? However, not all couples commemorate Valentine’s with fancy dinners, toothaches, or expensive watches. Those are stereotypes, but so are the ones who would rather spend Valentine’s at Luneta and share a green-mango-on-a-stick with their loved ones. Some people celebrate Valentine’s with innocence and simplicity and devote the day solely with their partners without worldly luxuries. In a judgmental world,

stereotypes collide and show different sides of the same coin. Be it in Manila or Los Angeles, sex and consumerism become the manifest expressions of love. Sex leads to consumerism – three-hour motel rooms, unnecessary gifts, and taxicabs or pedicabs. Consumerism may lead to sex, as well, although that is not a guarantee. But one way or the other, we are consumed in a world where the immediate want is satiated, and the need to understand the meaning of a holiday is forgotten. Is it because of love’s ineffability that mortals like us resort to worldly pleasures and materialism? I do not know the answer, and if I did it would be beyond the point I am trying to make. And as guilty as many of us here, I cannot judge other peoples’ actions. I merely state observations and experiences. Similar to the idea of hell, literature contributed to the modern practices we associate Valentine’s Day with – sex and consumerism. There is nothing wrong with that; it just shows how literature and words can move peoples’ beliefs. My objection with Valentine’s Day is not its loss of meaning; Saint Valentine, which the holiday is named after, is recognized for sacrificing his life for his beliefs. My objections with Valentine’s are the very practices we have accustomed ourselves with – the dinner and motel reservations and the luxurious gifts. Even if we practice the same customs on Christmas or Easter or Halloween, at least the holidays’ central characters are recognized – Jesus Christ, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and Freddie Kruger. Like birthdays, other holidays are celebrated once a year. But then again, not everyone celebrates his or her birthday every year. But if Valentine’s Day is a tribute of love, I think it is safe to state that we can celebrate love everyday. I mean, love is not fried chicken; you just cannot have it everyday. Its not going to kill you to show and give some love everyday. At the end of the day, you can have as many fancy dinners, expensive gifts, and motel check-ins, as you desire, with your loved ones. And if you can plan anything romantic on any given Sunday, I do not see the

need of designating February 14 as Valentine’s Day. Maybe, just maybe, Valentine’s Day is a holiday created by men to relieve themselves of the obligation of planning anything romantic or special for their ladies for the rest of the year?

Keeping L ve Alive Words By Sarah

Lei Spagnolo

HERE are 365 days in a year to express our love to that one special person in our lives, but why does Valentine’s Day stand out in particular? It’s almost like asking, there are billions of people all over the world, but why do we try and find love with just one person? As a girl in a long-term relationship, I find that love is continuous journey, and keeping love alive requires effort and consistency. And Valentine’s Day remind us to honor whom we love whether it be through gifts, flowers, or whispers of sweet nothings. If there’s one thing I can claim to be guilty of all my life, it’s that I am guilty of love. So guilty it inspires me to write poetry, listen to love songs, and tirelessly say “I love you.” For those of you, who are just as guilty as I am, there is absolutely nothing wrong in indulging in some romance even when Valentine’s Day is over. 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU A spoof to “10 Things I Hate About You” I love the way you spoil me, and the way you have no hair. I love the way you drive your car, even if it gives me a scare. I love your diamond earring, and the way you speak your mind. I love you so much it makes me mad, it even makes me cry. I love the way you’re always right, (oops!) that was a lie. I love it when you sing me songs, even more when you kiss me goodnight. I love it when you’re around, I don’t ever get bored. But mostly I love the way there aren’t just ten, nor a hundred... nor a thousand... but countless things I love about you.

5 LOVE SONGS TO LISTEN TO “Be Still” by The Fray “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri “I’ve Got This Friend” by The Civil Wars “The Girl I Love” by Tony Bennett & Sheryl Crow “Ours” by Taylor Swift 3 MOVIES TO WATCH TOGETHER “The Vow” starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum “One for the Money” starring Reese Witherspoon “This Means War” starring Katherine Heigl 1 RESTAURANT TO EXPLORE Planning to propose to your girl? Make it happen at The Hobbit restaurant. They offer a seven course, prix-fixe menu, and large wine cellar. After all that, you betcha she’ll say “yes!” Visit them at 2932 East Chapman Avenue Orange, CA 92869 or call (714) 997-1972 for reservations. TIP FOR THE GUYS: Instead of sending flowers to your girl on Valentine’s Day, why not give her a gift card to her favorite store?

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Off Hours

I FluffYou

Saturday, February 18, 2012

A serving of Mango Fluff, Honeydew Fluff (by request), and Passion Fruit Poppers (fruit juice gushes when you bite into them) drizzled with condensed milk.

Words and Pictures by Sarah Lei Spagnolo

LMOST everyone has a weakness for sweet treats, so one can never go wrong with opening up a dessert joint. Four high school friends decided to do just that by combining their talents and resources with business savvy to create Fluff Ice. Asian-American entrepreneurs Matthew Hui, Annie Tran, Nick Huang, and David Wang, saw the opportunity to introduce a food trend, which started in Taiwan and is very popular in Asia, but still unbeknownst to many in the U.S. market. The story of how they started Fluff Ice is almost as exciting as this dreamy treat. After dodging some funding difficulties, they took the big leap in April 2011 and opened up their first location.

It’s almost impossible to miss it when you find yourself strolling through the modern and luxurious premises of Atlantic Times Square in the urban hub of the city of Monterey Park. Tall glass windows give way to the store’s welllit interiors spiked with citrus

ese version they’ve mastered has a soft, creamy texture that melts right in your mouth. “The trend is huge in Asia and we are the first and only specialty store right now in Southern California that offers this unique product,” shares co-owner and the company’s

of chocolate, kiwi, peach, and taro. Lastly, you can choose up to two toppings from a bevy of options on their white brick counter. You can sprinkle your Fluff with scoops of fruit (mango, strawberry), jellos (lychee jelly, mango jelly) nuts and chocolate (sliced almonds,

The dessert counter helps educate customers about this unique experience.

shades of blue and green. It has a feel similar to that of other frozen yogurt bars, but with more personality. Perhaps it’s because they’ve got their branding down pat. Meet Fluff the Cloud, the smiling little mascot floating above their logo and welcoming all those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth. Anyone who wonders what it’s like to eat clouds will know after a visit to Fluff Ice. Who knew frozen treats could get any better? Like me, you’re probably thinking, “Oh no, not another copycat place. There’s too many of them already!” For dessert lovers, let me tell you: they’ve taken it up a notch. To put it quite simply, Fluff Ice is shaved ice with a twist. There are a million international varieties of shaved ice, but the Taiwan-

marketing specialist Matthew Hui. The art is in the ice itself. It is meant to be fine and fluffy—neither too crunchy, nor too dense and wet—and blend seamlessly into the toppings. To achieve this blocks of ice are first flavored before shaving them off as opposed to the other way around. The rest of the process is hidden in the company vault. Don’t fret if you’re new to the concept. The ordering process has been narrowed down to three easy steps. First you choose your size, whether a small, regular, or large cup depending on your appetite. Then you are asked to pick your Fluff. There’s a bevy of options from their four start-up flavors (original, mango, strawberry, and green tea) and the recent addition

chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, Oreo) baby gummy bears, and sweet fillings including red bean, egg and taro pudding. Premium topping like boba and mocha can be added at an extra cost. The result is a bowl of pure heaven and more so when you opt for a drizzle of condensed milk to complement the marriage of all the delectable ingredients. For the diet-conscious, it bears good news. Fluff Ice may be creamy like ice cream, but it actually contains half the fat. Whether you’re planning a postValentine’s Day date or trying to escape the high temperatures on some days, Fluff Ice is the place to find relief for your dessert craving. Visit Fluff ice at 500 N. Atlantic Blvd. Suite #153, Monterey Park, CA 91754. You can also connect with them via Facebook and Twitter or call (626) 872-2123.

The store interiors exude modern art deco.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Currents

Senate trial fends off constitutional crisis, bribery raps, bank run From Page 1

defense lawyers, where they disclosed reported phone calls by the President’s Executive Secretary, Paquito Jojo Ochoa, allegedly offering several senators P100 million each in “soft” public works projects. In exchange for the pork barrel funds, Ochoa reportedly asked the senators to rebuff a days-old Supreme Court order temporarily restraining a Senate impeachment court subpoena that would have authorized disclosure of Mr. Corona’s foreign-currency denominated bank accounts. A law guarantees the secrecy of such accounts to encourage depositors to keep money in the banking system ostensibly for economic development purposes. The defense lawyers declined to identify their sources who allegedly feared losing their jobs in the government. But the timing of the defense lawyers’ blockbuster charge could not have been better. The Senate impeachment court was to meet in secret session Monday morning to decide its response to the High Court temporary restraining order (TRO). High Court obeyed After the closed-door session, the Senate announced that a majority of the 23 senators had voted to obey the Supreme Court’s order, 13-10, to keep the bank deposits secret. The Senate thus averted a potentially crippling constitutional crisis. Several senators then took the floor to deny the bribery charge, denounce the defense lawyers, and demand that they identify their sources. Penitently, the defense lawyers apologized to the senators, explaining that it was not their intention to besmirch the senators but only to expose the sinister attempt to bribe the court. The Senate asked the lawyers to show cause why they should not be cited in contempt of court. Then the Senate proceeded with the trial to pry open Mr. Corona’s peso deposit accounts. Mystery ‘small lady’ The senators immediately got locked in contentious debates over a Senate subpoena issued on the strength of a mysterious bank document allegedly handed over to prosecutors by a “small lady” who has disappeared. Bank officials described the documents as “fake.” Several senators contended that evidence arising from an illegal document would be inadmissible, citing the long-accepted legal doctrine of the “poisonous tree yielding poisonous fruit.” The central bank has begun a probe into the apparent violation of bank secrecy laws to calm down jittery depositors. In the aborted impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada some 12 years ago, a bank run

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was triggered when bank officials turned over to the court bank deposit documents. Prosecution bungling The impeachment case is not dead yet, but it may soon be unless the House prosecutors do drastic cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This reality is farthest from their minds because they still think they are winning the case. Or at least they say so in public. But supposing that someone is able to convince them of the painful truth, what can they possibly do? Respect the Senate First, they have to show some respect for the Senate. But this requires, first of all, ditching a failed strategy. This strategy is the one they have doggedly pursued from the beginning – litigating the case in Plaza Miranda, or in the court of public opinion. By choosing to play to the gallery in the mistaken belief that this would apply pressure on the Senate, the prosecutors instead thoroughly alienated the senators by exposing evidence to the public – through the mass media – even before the trial could begin. This politically insensitive maneuver so affronted Sen. Panfilo Lacson that he urged fellow senators to “throw the Senate rules out the window or straight at (the prosecutor’s) faces.”Lacson was a potential ally (still is), having no love lost for Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who had appointed Mr. Corona Chief Justice a month before she was to leave office. The “midnight appointment” so rankled President. Aquino he refused to take his oath before Mr. Corona. Mistake No. 2 By hoping to try Mr. Corona in public and shame him out of office, the prosecutors rushed the impeachment complaint in five hours from Powerpoint presentation to gathering 188 signatures. The “blitzkrieg” operation was so fast it did not give the vice chairman of the House justice committee, Rep. Rudy Farinas, enough time to read and sign the charges. The prosecutors would soon see the folly of their unthinking haste. The Senate refused to accept Article 2 as crafted because it lumped together “suspected” and “reported” crimes, arguably violating their own impeachment rules on “sufficiency in form and substance,” their version of the legal requirement of probable cause. Errors on top of mistakes Piling up errors on top of mistakes, the prosecutors chose to lead off with Article 2 because of its high publicity value, causing them to parade before the media alleged 45 properties of Mr. Corona and his family.

Land Registration Authority records, introduced by the prosecutors themselves, would soon belie their own claim. Worse, the House prosecutors denied having done this in a press conference. “Let us not lie,” stormed Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada after he saw a replay of the press conference on television. Reporters likewise confronted lead House spokesperson Rep. Romero Quimbo for having misled them. With both the senators and the press sufficiently affronted, the trial-by-publicity strategy was torn to shreds. ‘Fishing expedition’ An indication of how badly the prosecution is doing is that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile refused to issue more subpoena for witnesses and documents until the prosecutors could show proof they were not merely on “a fishing expedition.” This is necessary, Enrile said, to protect the rights of the accused. The first month of trial ended with many senators indicating displeasure over the glaring ineptitude of the prosecutors, their ignorance of law and procedure, and their arrogant disrespect for the Senate impeachment court. But the prosecutors might still save the case by eating humble pie, no matter how unlikely. Strategic retreat First, they have to abandon their failed strategy of trial by publicity. This will force them to focus their attention on convincing the senators of their evidence, assuming they have any. A strategic retreat is also badly needed among the House spokespersons. The reporters will not trust them ever again after they left them hanging out on a limb on the 45 alleged properties. Round 1 of the impeachment trial went to the defense, without the defense doing much about it. In other words, they won the round largely because the prosecution bungled it – and they bungled it in spectacular style, with all the world watching it live on TV. Flawed complaint Like the “constitutionally infirm” Article 2, which violated legal norms by lumping together three charges in one article of impeachment, the prosecution’s strategy suffered and made things worse by seeking to try the case in the court of public opinion. Thus, the prosecutors chose to start with Article 2 because it offered, to use the American colloquial, “more bang for the buck.” The problem with Article 2, aside from being a shotgun charge, is that – while it made for presumably a more crowd-pleasing opening salvo – it is also the hardest to prove. By alleging a host of criminal Turn to Page 14

Senators as judge, jury & prosecutor

From Page 1

sailed into uncharted constitutional waters at great risk to their credibility as impartial judges. Since the start of the trial in January, senators like Franklin Drilon have gone out of their way to assist House prosecutors in their bungling attempts to present witnesses and evidence. Mr. Drilon’s gung-ho effort is commendable as an expression of party loyalty, President Aquino having made the impeachment of Mr. Corona a Liberal Party crusade. Mr. Drilon is a top-ranking LP official, and even in politics loyalty is an admirable virtue. Compromised impartiality But in rallying party support, Mr. Aquino may have unwittingly compromised the impartiality of senators who are his allies. “Some of them, in effect, are being lawyers for the prosecution, like Sen. Franklin M. Drilon, and for the defense, like Sen. Joker Arroyo,” observed former Sen. Ernesto Maceda from the gallery. Many other like-minded senators were able to camouflage their perceptively partisan approach to the trial by resorting to “clarificatory” questions and dissertations on points of law. But as the trial went out of control of the House prosecutors’ hands, they, like Mr. Drilon, eventually espoused themselves as partisan, not impartial, judges – lest the case fall apart. With the prosecuting senators’ ill-disguised efforts thus exposed, the defense panel mustered enough courage to take the case to the Supreme Court on a certioriari pleading, alleging grave abuse of discretion in excess of jurisdiction. TRO issued The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the petition of PS Bank for relief from a Senate subpoena ordering the bank to disclose alleged dollar accounts of Mr. Corona. The bank has invoked the law authorizing the confidentiality of bank accounts to encourage more deposits that conceivably could be used for economic development. The Court is still to rule on the main pleading of Mr. Corona himself assailing the House impeachment case as having violated his right to due process, for failing to grant him hearing, among other things. This sudden turn of events forced the Senate impeachment court to convene a closed-door executive session to discuss how to proceed with the trial. At its last hearing before the caucus, extreme differences of opinion emerged from among the senators, especially after the Supreme Court issued the TRO. ‘Utmost civility’ Upon being informed of the TRO, Senate President Jaun Ponce Enrile appealed to all litigants to observe “utmost civility” in treating a co-equal branch of govern-

ment and in respecting the rights of the accused and witnesses. Central to the bone of contention among the senators is the question of whether the Supreme Court may entertain incidental or interlocutory pleadings regarding the conduct of the trial. In several pronouncements from the chair, Senator Enrile upheld the constitutional mandate of the Supreme Court to entertain pleadings regarding the trial, except the final verdict, which the Constitution says cannot be appealed. Contentious issue The Enrile view has supporters and objectors among the senators. Among the more vocal objectors were Minority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senators Francis Pangilinan and Teofisto Guingona III. They hold the view that the Senate impeachment court is supreme on all matters relating to the trial and may not be interfered with by the Supreme Court. For over a month since the trial began, Mr. Enrile has assiduously kept the process on an even keel, displaying mastery of the law and the rules of evidence and procedure. In the process, he has earned the respect of both the senators and legal observers. If Enrile could be faulted for anything, it was for the “liberality” he granted to the House prosecutors, whom he assisted on many occasions with free advice from the chair to speed up the trial. Continuing disrespect But even Enrile’s patience is beginning to wear thin in the face of the prosecutors’ ineptitude and his continuing disrespect of the Senate trial rules by discussing evidence in public before they could be admitted in court. The most serious departure so far from accepted legal norms was the issuance of subpoena on the basis of bank documents allegedly leaked by a mysterious “small lady” to the prosecutors. This breach of bank secrecy laws is being investigated by the Central Bank because of its potentially far-reaching damage to consumer confidence in the banking system. Impending crisis The entry of the Supreme Court into the trial is likely to introduce more controversy into an already contentious trial. Or it could have a calming effect on a trial that is on the verge of deteriorating into the partisan exercise it started as. By making it a centerpiece of his moral crusade in government, President Aquino may have impregnated the quasi-judicial, quasipolitical impeachment process with enough political virus which could fatally injure it. Should the trial end in a constitutional crisis with all three branches of government at odds with one another, Mr. Aquino may have prematurely initiated his own passage into a lame-duck presidency.

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Saturday, February 4, 2012

In the forefront of gay-lesbian pride

From Page 1

the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Proposition 8 -- California’s ban on gay marriage -- unconstitutional. A violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples, it said. On July 15, last year, California became the first state to require that school textbooks and history lessons include the contributions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. Also in 2011 the California Senate approved Seth’s Law (AB 9), which aims to fight harassment of LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/ Questioning) students in the state’s schools. With these historic developments, PWD sought for knowledgeable views from the local gay rights movement. Barangay Los Angeles is a 22 year-old non-profit organization serving the cause of LGBTQ Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in this city. Statewide, Equality California (EQCA) claims in its web site that over the past 13 years, it has “strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation.” Jeremiah Abraham, Barangay LA director of PR and Marketing, was kind enough to oblige with answers to some questions on very short notice. He said that although the Ninth Circuit’s ruling is encouraging, the fight is still not over. Indeed news reports said that despite the defeat of Proposition 8, same gender marriage can’t be held just yet. The judges have allowed opponents of the law to appeal the 2-1 decision. And even if

the decision is affirmed, it will only apply to California even though the court has jurisdiction in nine Western states. According to Abraham, there could potentially be fights similar to Prop 8 in other states. “Barangay Los Angeles,” he said, “is working with other organizations to raise more awareness of the issue. While there is cause to celebrate, we are all still hoping for equal rights for all people across all states.” It may be noted also that in the case of the Washington state law, it would have taken effect this coming June 7 were it not for opponents making attempts to reverse its course. The law will be put on hold pending the outcome of a November vote, reports said. Of the so-called Seth’s Law (AB 9) -named after Seth Walsh, a Tehachapi, California, gay teen who was pushed into committing suicide allegedly because of peer bullying -- Abraham said the law ensures that each school in the state incorporates policies and programs that fight against harassment and discrimination in regards to sexual orientation and gender identity. This, however, still does not fully ensure the safety of our youth, he said. Parents, teachers, and school officials must keep a proactive effort to enforce these policies. “It’s great that California is willing and proactively trying to protect children against the proven negative effect of bullying in schools. Education is a good step toward fighting ignorance. The factual contribution of the LGBTQ community in textbooks can only contribute to fighting stereotypes and ignorance against children. It helps teach our youth that the LGBTQ community is confi-

Barangay LA at Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture 2011. From left: Barangay LA President Robert Julius Maullon and Director of PR and Marketing Jeremiah Abraham accept a trophy from Consul General Mary Jo Aragon.

dent and capable -- and even better, to be accepting of people that may be different from them,” said Abraham adding that he came out of school possessed with greater respect for other cultures because their accomplishments and struggles were discussed in the classroom. Jeremiah, entrepreneur-founder of the online community and content provider BakitWhy.com, wrote about the difficulty of growing up as a minority in the Barangay LA site: “We face discrimination every single day, our veterans are denied their deserved benefits, and our empowered women are marginalized across the nation. And to add to all of this, our LGBTQ communities are bullied, denied inalienable rights, and pushed to the point where they take their own lives. This is the unfortunate truth that many LGBTQ youth face and we sadly lose the lives of our loved ones because of this ignorance. The truth is, these youth are four times as likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual peers.” Barangay LA joins other community organizations that have declared their increasing support against these injustices, he said. In May 2011, Barangay LA held TULAY: A Bridge to Help Fight Youth Suicide, a 3-day gallery intended to open a dialogue between families through visual art, spoken word and live performances. It included a public symposium and talks ranged from youth suicide issues, acceptance, communication barriers

and action items aimed to address issues in the Filipino LGBTQ community. Do the initials LGBTQ (for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning) embrace all the genders that exist today and yet to come, if any? The question was not framed in that manner but from Abraham’s words we get the idea. He said: “Books can be written about this question alone. There is a major difference between gender identity, biological sex, and sexuality. Biological sex, as we know, is the sex you are born with -- either male or female. Gender identity is what an individual most identifies with. Transgender individuals identify with a gender that differs from their biological sex -- so you can have a biological male that identifies as female, and vice versa. Barangay Los Angeles welcomes all people - Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Straight Allies, and all colors of the rainbow.” He continued that while these are the more generally known terms, he considers gender identity very unique to each person. There are so many gray areas of the spectrum that we cannot fully describe, he said, because they either aren’t known yet in our society or even can’t be described in our existing vocabulary. The other officers of Barangay Los Angeles are: Robert Julius Maullon, president; Adrian Songcuan, vice president; Nico Nava, director of Signature Events; Allison Santos, director of Advocacy; and Tetet Quirino, director of Membership.

Senate trial fends off constitutional crisis, bribery raps, bank run From Page 13

Proclaiming Barangay LA’s solidarity with API Equality at the 2012 Lunar New Year Parade.

acts, the prosecution set a standard of proof bordering on “proof beyond reasonable doubt,” the quantum required to attain a conviction in criminal cases. Unwittingly, the prosecution became a victim of its own bipolar strategy – trying the case in Plaza Miranda and not in the Senate. The senators remained unimpressed. Not only that, they got sick and tired of the prosecutors’ antics. ‘What’s impeachable?’ The ineptitude of the prosecutors prompted Senators Chiz Escudero and Joker Arroyo to seek a definition of “impeachable crimes.” Senator Escudero reduced the argument to absurd levels when he asked if an impeachable officer could be impeached for jaywalking. Senate President Enrile posed the question succinctly, “What is a high crime?” And so the first month of trial ended with the prosecution failing to prove its case both in the Senate and in Plaza Miranda. This is a usual problem with a two-pronged strategy: you fail to prove both prongs. Taken for a ride The bigger question now is, Can the prosecution still recover from the mauling they got in Round 1. They might, if they get their

strategy sorted out. The senators are not awed by the conventional wisdom that the public is out to hang Corona. There is no reliable survey to show this to be true. If at all, the public does not seem to understand the legal complexities of the impeachment trial, and they are too busy eking out a living to even care. Addressing a summit of the poorest sectors of our society recently, Christian S. Monsod, a member of the Constitutional Commission that wrote the basic law, flatly stated: “The impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona and the broadened debate on constitutional issues are not going to bring out masses of the poor to take sides. To them the turmoil is a power struggle within the leadership class, and it distracts from the central issue in our society: poverty and gross inequalities.” Gut issues If the opinion surveys are any guide at all, the people’s major concerns are still grinding poverty, jobs, and how to feed their families. The sad part of the impeachment trial is that the people fail to see how this will solve their gut problems. And it is not even providing them good entertainment to get their minds off the gnawing feeling that grinds in their empty stomachs every day.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Kamala Harris, California’s Attorney General, Bares A $26 Billion Foreclosure Settlement with Big Banks By Rene Villaroman Managing Editor

OS ANGELES – California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, a rising Democratic star and a potential gubernatorial candidate, announced last Thursday that California would receive by far the largest share of benefits in a deal with big banks over home foreclosure abuses. It was reported by the New York Times. Harris had walked out of the talks last September and “charted a lonely course, keeping her distance from potential allies and angering some of her peers in other states, who saw her as grandstanding,” the New York Times said. Ms. Harris is a close ally of President Barack Obama, who faced increasing pressure from the administration to return to the negotiating table. She was also under pressure from more liberal groups to extract more settlement benefits from the banks. She held out until the end of the settlement talks, and that decision gave her more leverage. In the end, she walked away with more settlement benefits than what California was slated to receive. During a press conference in L.A. last Thursday, a beaming Harris announced that California homeowners were guaranteed $12 Billion in debt reduction while other states received only

promises. The “California commitment,” as she called it, includes special penalties if the banks failed to fulfill their part of the deal. In addition, Harris has the right to pursue claims on behalf of the state’s pension fund. Critics of the Attorney General said that Harris’s “theatrics” won her little more than California would have received anyway because the state has the greatest number of troubled home loans. They added that her threats to hold banks accountable have been just that, while officials in other states have filed lawsuits. In the final deal, says the New York Times, Ms. Harris did not get everything she wanted, like a moratorium on foreclosures, or a bigger pot of money for homeowners who went through foreclosure, who are expected to receive close to $2,000 each. The customer service reforms in the settlement are in force for only three years, and Ms. Harris said she planned to take the fight to the State Legislature to make them permanent. Still, the New York Times concedes, “the deal is a victory for a woman who is no stranger to winning, in court or in politics.” Harris is a longtime prosecutor who exudes confidence and charisma. In 2003, she waged a successful campaign to become the San Francisco district attorney. Last year, she defeated the district attorney of Los Angeles, a Republican,

in a race so close, that he declared victory. She became the first woman and the first African-American Attorney General of California. Ms. Harris, 47, already possessed an aura of glamour even when she entered the public eye in the mid-1990s as a young

prosecutor, a trustee of Museum of Modern Art and the girlfriend of Willie Brown, soon to be Mayor of San Francisco. She is the daughter of an IndianAmerican mother and a Jamaican-American father, and she is often compared to Pres. Obama.

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Sports World

Philippine sports beyond Pacman By Dionesio

C. Grava

HE grapevine had been abuzz with talks about the Pambansang Kamao being motivated lately by ethical things and the Bible. He reportedly had renounced his sins and bad habits on the way to becoming an “ambassador” of the Catholic Church. This augurs well on what’s ahead of Pacman considering that there are mentions about him retiring from the ring. The eight-division world champion and top pound-for-pound fighter is certainly a phenomenon and deserving of all the accolades and honors strewn his way. As everyone may have already known, he had been bumped from sergeant to colonel in the reserved corps, has a doctor honoris causa, a kind of movie and TV celebrity and a legislator besides. But sooner or later the question is bound to pop up as to whether or not there would come a point in time when all these acts of adulation can go too far for even the likes of Manny Pacquiao. Would this kind of hero-worship ultimately spur misconceptions especially on the part of foreign observers who may think that perhaps what we have is a fluke in the boxing stable and that maybe our country is bereft of other champions to represent us in international competitions? Additionally, are we being unfair to our other world-rated athletes whose endeavors and sacrifices to achieve honors for the homeland are likewise laudable and deserving of the same attention and respect? Is our media focused only in spotlighting lucrative sports programs like professional boxing? And coming as a hint from my editor at PWD, is there Philippine sports outside of Manny Pacquiao? Certainly the greatness that is Pacman would not be diminished a bit if other sports and sports greats are afforded equal opportunity in the limelight. That could

Photos by Lilia

Grava

weight boxing champion” for successfully defending his title for seven years. There was also Ceferino “Bolo Punch” Garcia, the great Filipino middleweight who once ruled that weight class and defended it successfully three times. Garcia became a boxing legend when he knocked out war hero Barney Ross in 1937 and Henry Armstrong in 1938. He was at that same time the Welterweight Champion of California. Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo, at 5’1” and never weighing more than 114 pounds won the World Flyweight Championship in 1923 and was acclaimed in his time as “ the greatest flyweight of the century.” Pancho Villa was Asia’s first world champion in boxing. Never knocked out in his entire boxing career, the toughness in him was no match to the ripper who got him at the age of 23 following complications from a tooth extraction. Luisito Espinosa had held for five years two different world boxing titles: the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown and the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight belt. He was feted the “Athlete of the Year” award twice. He was one of the longest reigning Filipino world boxing champions. Gerry Peñalosa won the WBC super flyweight crown in February 1997 and defended it three times. In June 1999 he clinched the same title in WBA. At age 36 he also became WBO bantamweight champion. Other ring gladiators who brought honor to our country include Dodie Boy Penalosa, who overcame his polio to become a two-division world champion. Then there was world flyweight champion Erbito Salavarria, world junior lightweight champion Rolando “Bad Boy from Dadiangas” Navarette, Eleuterio “Little Dado” Zapanta who was WBA flyweight and WBA bantamweight cham-

diving, the first woman to do so. She was also the first Asian American to win an Olympic medal. Another Olympian of Filipino ancestry is US-based Natalie Coughlin. Her 3 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals made her the most decorated female athlete at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics. She is also the first woman ever to win a 100m backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympic Games. Presently she’s in the thick of training for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Coughlin, the New Pantene Brand Ambassador, is at home with cooking Filipino food. Still on the Olympic medal, boxing standouts Anthony Villanueva and Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco won a silver each -- in 1964 Tokyo and 1996 Atlanta Olympics, respectively. The Philippine team won a bronze medal in the 1954 World Basketball. Also bronze winners were Teofilo Yldefonso in swimming, 1928, Amsterdam ; Simeon Toribio, men’s high jump in 1932, Los Angeles; José Villanueva in boxing, 1932, Los Angeles; Teofilo Yldefonso in swimming, 1932, Los Angeles; Miguel White, athletics, 1936, Berlin; Leopoldo Serantes, boxing, 1988, Seoul; and Roel Velasco also in boxing, 1992, Barcelona. OTHER SPORTS GREATS. Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno is six-time world champion and the acknowledged greatest international bowler in the history of the sport. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized him as the youngest ever to win a world title at the age of 19 and for having won the most number of World Cups achieved in each of three different decades. The World FIQ, the governing body of the sport, named Paeng as the “International Bowler of the Millennium” in behalf of 100 million bowlers. On the distaff side Olivia “Bong” Coo is a four-time World Champion and the only bowling

Highly-touted Edrin “The Sting” Dapudong was WBC silver flyweight title holder until he got trounced by Mexico’s Wilbert “Hurricane” Uicab. With Dapudong is PWD writer Dionesio C. Grava (right).”

tamweight titles under his belt when early this month he also got the World Boxing Organization’s super bantamweight from Puerto Rican Wilfre do Vasquez, Jr. Patricia Llena, a 15-year old honor student from San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, bagged three gold and one bronze medals during the 2009 World Sub-Junior & Junior Powerlifting Championships held in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Michael Martinez, 14 years old and dubbed as the Prince of the Rink in a country that’s in the tropics, will be the Philippine representative in the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Austria next year. He had won 187 medals in various international tournaments, it is said. The 29-year-old Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton won the IBA female super bantamweight title to become the first Filipina world

The world stands still each time Manny Pacquiao fights. Other photo shows the Pacman wading through a crowd of mostly adoring fans.

help arouse slumbering sense of national pride and patriotism especially among the youth who may no longer be aware that once upon the annals of our nationhood the boxing world reverberated with the name and fame of Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, the “thinking fighter” whose skill and sportsmanship in the ring was only surpassed by his charity, kindness and gentlemanly qualities. In 1974 he was regarded as “the greatest world junior light-

pion, WBA super featherweight champion Ben Villaflor and WBA super featherweight champion Jesus “The Hawaiian Punch” Salud. THE OLYMPIANS. People who are not aware of Victoria Manalo-Draves could not be faulted in thinking that the Olympic gold remains an elusive goal for our sports greats. Draves, attractive and graceful, was the first athlete of Filipino descent to get the gold. In fact she won two gold medals in

athlete who has won the All Events titles in regional level, Asian Zone level and world level championships in major quadrennial and biennial bowling competitions. She also owned the All Events records on those tournaments at one time in 1986. Like Paeng, Bong is still actively contributing to the sport. The current crop of Filipino greats in sports include 29 year-old Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. He already has two world ban-

boxing champion. In 2008, Dorothy Delasin and Jennifer Rosales of Team Philippines won the 4th Women’s World Cup of golf in Sun City, South Africa. They also did well on LPGA Tours. Also in professional golf, Juvic Pagunsan is the first Filipino to win the coveted Order of Merit trophy. Efren “The Magician” Reyes is a two-time world pool champion and considered one of the all-time greats in the games of nine ball and

one-pocket. Francisco “Django” Bustamante was World’s Number One Billiard Player in 1998, twice World Pool Masters champion and got the Asiad Gold Medal in 2002. Dennis Orcollo, 32, recently won the world 8-ball championship and was hailed as the Player of the Year by the World Pool and Billiard Association. Johnriel Casimero of Ormoc City won the recent riot-marred IBF light flyweight championship in Argentina. Former WBO super flyweight champion Marvin “Marvelous” Sonsona is coming back from a 20-month layoff. SEAG boxer Rey Saludar had a gold in the Games. Donnie Nietes is WBO minimum weight and Brian Viloria, is IBF light flyweight champ. Highly-touted Edrin “The Sting” Dapudong was WBC silver flyweight title holder until he got trounced by Mexico’s Wilbert “Hurricane” Uicab. There are also great players of Filipino ancestry in several other sports like baseball, basketball, football and professional wrestling. WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Obviously many of the renowned athletes mentioned at the early part are nowhere around anymore. Then there are those who may have retired from active participation. Eric Buhain used to be the most accomplished swimmer of his generation. He won the Best Male Athlete of the SEA Games after winning five gold medals and in the process broke two Games records. Eugene Torre was Asia’s first chess grandmaster at the age of 22. Elma Muros won in different events in the Southeast Asian Games and was dubbed the Southeast Asian Games heptathlon queen in 1997. Gerald Rosales was an Asian Games silver winner and Southeast Asian Games two-time champion in golf. Lydia de Vega was Asia’s fastest woman in the 1980s. Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, an accomplished equestrienne, won the gold medal for the Individual Show Jumping competition in the 2002 Asian Games.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Dismissed directors of FACLA reinstated. Nyet!

SOME FACLA PERSONALITIES, from left: Austin Baul, director; Paul Julian, director; Purita Dinsay, director; Erlinda Nery, director; Al Aquino, former director; and Larry Pelayo, former director.

From Page 10

their burden of proof that their removal was not in compliance with the by-laws. Listed as defendants were Gregorio Gatus, Abelardo Lopez, Alfonso Aquino, Larry Calonzo, Freddy Cruz, Ray E. Edpau, Alberto Frias, Irebe Jamolad, Femie Nieva, Rudy de la Cruz, Sonnie del Rosario, Tessie Estruas, Nora Jusi, Manny Nicdau, Larry Pelayo, Gloria Resurreccion, Patricia Kegley and Filipino American Community of Los Angeles, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation and Does 1-20 inclusive. Meanwhile, an election took place on Nov. 20, 2011 and according to a certification issued by the FACLA Commission on Elections, the following candidates (in alphabetical order) of the Coalition for Better Community garnered the highest number of votes for the 15 seats of the board of FACLA:

are being adversely affected by the acts of Defendants in interfering in the management and day to day activities of the organization by reason of the court’s decision of February 1, 2012 that purports to reinstate defendants as Directors of FACLA commencing January 1, 2012.” The preliminary pages to the Complaint signed by one Norma Salvatera, Vice President, FACLA (For herself and in behalf of the other plaintiffs/intervenors), stated that plaintiffs/intervenors “are being adversely affected by the acts of Defendants in interfering in the management and day to day activities of the organization by reason of the court’s decision of February 1, 2012 that purports to reinstate defend-

participated in the meeting and the rest are losers in the last November 20, 2011 FACLA general elections and therefore these losers cannot have a legitimate claim to a seat in the Board.” In holding that meeting and election, Baul said, Aguayon and his group violated certain articles of the California Corporation Code and the FACLA bylaws pertaining to proper notification and quorum requirements. Subsequently, during the Board of Directors’ regular meeting on Feb. 6, 2012, the following developments transpired: “Director Basilio moved to declare the Election of Officers on January 12, 2012 to be void ab initio. The motion was seconded by Director Santos. Mr. Aguayon asked if

FACLA building

1. Aguayon, Adolpino - 375 votes 2. Azaula, Ner - 370 votes 3. Basilio, Bienvenido - 367 votes 4. Florendo, Cris - 339 votes 5. Go, Resty - 322 votes 6. Jamorabon, Sally - 347 votes 7. Mandia, Brigido - 322 votes 8. Parino, Alice - 359 votes 9. Prado, Jesus - 340 votes 10. Reyes, Leticia - 381 votes 11. Rongavilla, Francisco - 328 votes 12. Salvatera, Norma 347 votes 13. Santos, Fender - 351 votes 14. Saysay, Karen Lyn - 340 votes 15. Tobias, Perfecto - 337 votes Regarding that election, Judge Rosenblatt issued a two-page Proposed Stipulation and Order dated Nov. 18, 2011 containing an interim order that to maintain the status quo of the FACLA Board of Directors, “Should the Court determine that plaintiffs are to be appointed to the new Board of Directors, they will take their office at the same time the remaining Board Members take their office and for such duration as the Court orders in its final judgment. In that event, only those 10 candidates with the highest number of votes will be elected.” (Underlining mine.) On Jan. 15, 2012 some of the directors held an organizational meeting and an election of executive officers of FACLA took place, over the objection of Plaintiffs. Those elected officers were the following: Adolpino Aguayon, president; Norma Salvaterra, 1st vice president; Perfecto Tobias, 2nd vice president; Ner Azaula, 3rd vice president; Crescencia Florendo, secretary; Alice Parino, treasurer; and Brigido Mandia, auditor. It is in their capacity as new officers that Adolpino Aguayon, Norma Salvatera, Cris Florendo, Alice Parino and Brigido Mandia filed with the same Court a Complaint in Intervention for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief dated Feb. 10, 2012. Calling themselves as plaintiffs/intervenors, they said that “being the current DIRECTORS and OFFICERS of FACLA, having been duly elected as Directors on November 20, 2011 in a general elections,

ants as Directors of FACLA commencing January 1, 2012.” The Complaint further states that Oliver Sulit and Clarita Julian are not included “as party Defendants in this complaint for intervention because they were not elected as directors and the assailed decision would not be applicable to them.” The stated grounds for reconsideration of the above Court order, according to the plaintiffs/intervenors are that the original plaintiffs (now defendants) did not file their candidacies in office which “only means one thing - they no longer wish to serve the organization in an official capacity... appointing them as directors would be tantamount to a forced labor on their part, and/or grossly unfair to the entire membership to be given leaders who have no interest to serve the organization.” Additionally, the plaintiffs/intervenors said that the issue of defendants serving their unexpired term is now moot and academic because “defendants were to serve as directors of the organization for 20092011. That period is now part of the past.” NEW EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. Regarding the meeting and election of new FACLA officers on Jan. 15, 2012, plaintiff Austin G. Baul protested “that Mr. Aguayon, Ms. Salvaterra, Mr. Azaula and Ms. Parino are the only legal Directors who

there is any discussion. Director Basilio rise to question the validity of the election and stated his grounds as follows: 1.) There was no proper and legal notice to the other four (4) elected officers namely: Mr. Ben Basilio, Mr. Jess Prado, Ms. Letty Reyes and Mr. Fender Santos, 2.) The aforesaid directors were deprived of their rights to

participate and deliberate in the proceedings, 3) There is a lack of quorum due to their inability to attend and vote, 4.) This election is in violation of a prior motion unanimously approved at a prior meeting last January stating that the election of executive officers is deferred until the final decision of the Superior court will be received. The Chair asked if there are further discussions, hearing none he calls for a vote. There, were nine (9) yeas, zero nays and one abstention. Since the majority of the members of the Board have declared the election of the Executive Officers invalid the following persons can not and will not exercise any authority and usurp the duties of their office: Mr. Adolpino Aguayon (still acting President), Ms. Norma Salvatera, 1st Vice President, Mr.Perfecto Tobias, 2nd Vice President, Mr. Ner Azaula, 3rd Vice President, Ms. Crescencia Florendo, Secretary, Ms. Alice Parino, Treasurer, Mr. Bngido Mandia, Auditor.” In attendance during that meeting were Adolpino Aguayon, acting president; Bienvenido Basilio, director; Austin Baul, director; Purita Dinsay, director; Erlirida Guerchom, director; Paul Julian, director; Erlinda Nery, director; Jesus Prado, director; Leticia Reyes, director; and Fender Santos, director. Directors absent: Ner Azaula, Sally Jamorabon, Alicia Parino, Norma Salvatera and Karen Saysay. JUDGE’S DECISION. Regarding the Plaintiffs’ desire to be reinstated to their original positions as officers of the organization, the Court in rejecting it said that “Every term, and from time to time as necessary, the current board has the authority to appoint officers. A new board is in place or is coming into place shortly. It is up to the new board to choose officers that it believes will best serve the current board.” The Court also disagreed with the plaintiff’s assertion that the appointments of Ms. Resureccion and Mr. Edpau as directors and the removal of Clarita Julian as office manager were “illegal and null and void” because of lack of quorum. It said that the Board was a lawful board and had the authority to fill vacancies.

PinoyWatchDog.Com

People

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Words and Pictures by Sarah Lei Spagnolo

eb. 4: PinoyWatchDog.com joined media friends and guests to celebrate the ribon-cutting ceremony and open house of SouthMain Rejuvenation Center. After achieving success in San Jose and San Francisco, they decided to open a location at 14545 Friar St., 2nd Floor, Van Nuys, CA 91411. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served and guests were given a tour of the brand new facility.

From left, LIZA DEOCAMPO, NOEL OMEGA, RICK ROLEDA, BINKY PAGAL, and JENNIFER JAPITANA.

SouthMain Rejuvenation Center uses the Apolinar SkinCare System created by aesthetic physician Dr. Apolinar Tiongson.

The skincare center features two treatment rooms and uses various treatment modalities such as laser, skin peels, radio frequency, LED, and home topical treatments for skin transformation.

From left, ANNABELLE ESPINOSA, SOFIA RIZOS, LOUELLA EISCHEN, and DR. APOLINAR TIONGSON, MD.

Minutes from the minutes of FACLA’s regular Board of Directors’ meeting on Feb. 6, 2012

“D

irector Ben Basilio mentioned in passing and read the contents of the letter of Mrs. Concordia Dos Pueblos acting office manager to the Board stating that she doesn’t know whom to follow anymore whether Mr. Aguayon or Ms. Salvatera, who is imposing her own schedule of rental fees and wants to implement immediately without the concurrence of the Board. Mrs. Dos Pueblos went farther to say that she was made to understand by Ms. Salvatera that she has all the powers and authority to change the rules and procedures being the lst Vice President.” A digital image of Mrs. Concordia Dos Pueblos’ letter is shown here: However, the minutes indicates that Director Basilio asked the Board

Image of Mrs. Cording Dos Pueblos’ letter addressed to the president/ presiding officer and members of the Board of Directors of FACLA informing about a misunderstanding with Director Norma Salvatera regarding the management of FACLA office. Dos Pueblos is Acting Office-in-Charge of the organization

to defer the hearing of this issue to enable both parties to present their respective side of the controversy. It also states that “Director Letty Reyes verified with the acting President Mr. Aguayon and the members of the Board whether or not Mrs. Concordia Dos Pueblos will continue

to be acting office Manager. The acting President along with the Board approved unanimously the extension of Ms. Dos Pueblos tenure of office until revoked.” In the same meeting Director Austin Baul suggested to the Board to hold an Election of Executive Officers as early as

possible. The Board unanimously agreed to hold it on the next meeting February 20, 2012. The minutes were prepared and submitted by Director Fender Santos who was designated acting secretary. -- Dionesio Grava