The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Monday, April 5, 2010 

I nstead of being resolved, the controversy has turned for the worse. The aggrieved journalists who feel slighted and humiliated are now demanding the recall and retraining of Philippine Labor Attaché Frank Luna. In a letter addressed to the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Labor in Manila, Filipino journalists in Toronto are calling Luna "obstinate, indifferent and aloof". They described his actions as "so undiplomatic x x x and marked by apparent arrogance". Though the journalists' move is unprecedented in Canada, it is not entirely without precedent. Several years back in Los Angeles, California, a Filipino journalist, Bobby Reyes, succeeded in initiating the recall of a sitting consul general, and another much earlier, in blocking the confirmation of consul general-designate at the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.

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Filipino-Canadian Journalists Demand Recall and Retraining of Philippine Labor Attaché in Toronto

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)

and Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)

T ORONTO -- Calling him "obstinate, indifferent and aloof," the Philippine Press Club-Ontario has demanded the recall to Manila and retraining of Toronto-based Philippine Labor Attaché Frank Luna.

The move, though a first in Canada, is not entirely without precedent in North America. Some years back in Los Angeles, California, Filipino journalist Bobby Reyes succeeded – with the help of key community leaders – in blocking the confirmation of Tomas Gomez as consul general in 1993, and in recalling then Consul General Edwin Bael in 2002.

"To our humble mind, Mr. Luna should be recalled and required to undergo training in conducting himself accordingly," a copy of the letter made available to this reporter during the weekend, said.

The feud between the labor official and Filipino journalists here erupted in January after the former called the latter "morons" in a newspaper article many had suspected as having been ghost-written by Luna himself on behalf of a publisher and editor widely known in Toronto as a real-estate agent.

Luna had previously denied the accusations. "As you will note," he explained, "I did not call Tenny Soriano and Mon Datol as morons – it is their word, not mine."

Soriano, president of PPCO and columnist of Balita newspaper, and Datol, director and publisher-editor of Philippine Courier, are two of the five signatories to the petition. The others are Ace Alvarez, vice president, who is also editor of Manila Media Monitor; Tony Sicat, director: and Mogi Mogado, treasurer.

In the article, Luna had indeed referred to an unidentified press club officer as "a moron" for suggesting that the citation awarded by Philippine Ambassador to Canada Jose S. Brillantes to a mainstream newspaper reporter instead be given to Filipinos advocating for caregivers.

"The use of such language is unbecoming from no less than an officer of the Philippine government," said the PPCO in the letter addressed to Foreign Secretary Alberto G. Romulo and Labor Secretary Marianito D. Roque. A copy was furnished Consul General in Toronto Minerva Falcon.

The whole text of the letter was also published in the April 2010 issue of Philippine Courier.

A ccording to the signatories, Luna had utilized his friend's newspaper to respond to issues the journalists had raised concerning the award, specifically the recognition of community advocates who had also worked hard on behalf of Filipino nannies.

"Mr. Luna's responses x x x were so undiplomatic x x x and were marked by apparent arrogance," the PPCO said.

The club also alleged that Luna "has allowed himself to be exploited by Eddie Lee in discrediting the PPCO". 

"It was funny enough for no less than an officer of the Philippine government in Toronto to respond through a print media (Lee's newspaper) which was not a party to comments made on the matter, and not through the same media where the comments emanated," the PPCO added.

Lee, a real-estate agent, publishes the Atin Ito newspaper, which, like most publications in Toronto's Filipino community, are entertainment-oriented. 

Atin Ito started out as a newsletter on agriculture, then eventually expanded to now include story reprints from Manila-based newspapers. Questions are now being raised about Lee's competence to edit the paper since he has no journalism background.

Lee has accused Soriano and Datol of "using" this reporter to push their own agenda. He says in Tagalog: "Upang maunawaan mo ang buntot at ulo ng intriga," referrencing his article in his paper's January issue. "Dito mo makikita ang paggamit din nila sa iyo."

Lee had not responded to inquiries from this reporter as to why he made such a conclusion. As for Luna, he was not immediately available to comment on this story as it was being written.

The PPCO complaint against Luna was first verbally told to newly-installed Consul General Minerva Falcon during her first press conference 10 days after she assumed office in early March. # # #

This “Current & Breaking News” comes from Romeo P. Marquez, editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 3, April 5, 2010.