Lawsuit vs PIDCI puts to test leadership, credibility of Ner Martinez

PIDCI President Antero ‘Ner’ Martinez. Photo: JCI Philippines New York

PIDCI President Antero ‘Ner’ Martinez. Photo: JCI Philippines New York

By Cristina DC Pastor

On the last night of the Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado, new PIDCI President Antero ‘Ner’ Martinez was served a court petition.

He and members of the board of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. are being sued before the Supreme Court of New York, and compelled to respond to the following:

-produce annual reports from 2013 to 2016;
-open the financial books and records;
-nullify the results of the elections of Oct 7, 2017.

Petitioners Juliet Payabyab of United Mindoro International and Nieva Burdick of the Philippine Community Center Services for the Aging said the board’s “continuing illegal action and gross violation of fiduciary duties” prompted the petition. Despite repeated requests for transparency and for action on alleged irregularities in the last election, the board has not responded.

“As such, we are constrained to institute this petition,” the petitioners said in court papers filed November 14 before Justice Barbara Jaffe.

Ner Martinez appears to be a person torn.

The new president of PIDCI appears calm and in control. Deep inside, he knows his leadership is being closely watched like a ship sailing into the unknown. Weighing in his mind is the likelihood that the collapse of PIDCI may happen under his watch.

There is tremendous pressure from all corners of the community for his leadership to do what is necessary and what is right. That is, for PIDCI to introduce changes and reform itself.

In the months leading up to the June 2018 Independence Day Parade on Madison Avenue, we shall see if the new PIDCI leadership, under Ner, will make those changes or if the cries for transparency and integrity are a voice in the wilderness. Already, some people are predicting no reform is forthcoming and to expect “more of the same.”

“I heard they already have a Grand Marshal,” said Consul General Tess Dizon-De Vega, seeming to indicate it’s business as usual at PIDCI.

The election incident where PIDCI Membership head Ronie Mataquel, who was mandated to check proxy votes, was infamously carried out of the polling place on orders of Comelec Chair Raul Estrellado to prevent him from performing the verification process.

The election incident where PIDCI Membership head Ronie Mataquel, who was mandated to check proxy votes, was infamously carried out of the polling place on orders of Comelec Chair Raul Estrellado to prevent him from performing the verification process.

The challenges are many:

ONE: Clean up the membership and weed out phony organizations. For example, Comelec chair Raul Estrellado has four organizations to his and his wife’s name: FEU Nursing Alumni Assn Auxiliary – East Coast; FEU Nursing Alumni Assn – East Coast; Laguna Association; Pinoy Pistoleros. All of them are registered under the same address in Emerson, New Jersey. Are all these clubs operating like any community organization, meaning with a set of officers and a list of activities? Ner should know.

There are also multiple organizations listed under three-term president Fe Martinez, her partner Roland David, and her daughter Lauren Caliolio. Ner would know if these clubs are legit or not. Make proxy voting a thing of the past.

TWO: For the longest time, the election body has been led by Estrellado. He is both the chair and body of the Comelec with no one to assist him. The PIDCI by-laws stipulate three members. In meetings, he is said to rule like a toughie with his barreling presence and loud voice. Time for Ner to fix the Comelec because it is obviously not run efficiently and independently.

THREE: PIDCI’s non-profit status remains in limbo. Minus its 501 (C) (3) status, companies and organizations may no longer enjoy tax-exempt donations. That’s a monumental worry because the Madison Avenue parade is known to be an extravagant parade costing about $250K to stage.

FOUR: Charges need to be filed against whoever stole PIDCI’s funds. The audit is taking a long time. It’s been two years already. It needs to have a deadline. The suspect is known to all the officers – they mention her by name — and yet charges have yet to be filed. The reluctance invites suspicions of a whitewash.

Ner, the anointed candidate for president in the last election, is juggling all these concerns and challenges. He is carefully weighing what decisions his benefactors will accept and what decisions will keep the peace within the community.

Like his predecessor, Dr. Prospero Lim, Ner is known to be an amiable person but one who does not exhibit the unfaltering decisiveness of a true executive. His is emerging to be a presidency that would rather be popular than one that is brave and reform-minded.

© 2017 The FilAm



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