The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Wednesday, 19 September 2007

~ Hardly has the stink and sting of scandal gone in COPAO and here comes another. If it's not the signature that's being faked, it's the individuals and their motives. Is COPAO really going (or already gone?) to the dogs?

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

SAN DIEGO - At least three individuals who supposedly affixed their names to a letter-petition said that their signatures were misused, and accused Rita Andrews, president of the Council of Philippine American Organizations (COPAO) of doing it.

The letter-petition which Andrews co-authored with Faith Bautista, the paid director of Mabuhay Alliance, had asked the Maria Clara de Pilipinas Sorority to withdraw its recognition on journalist Romy Marquez.

MCPS founder and CEO Mrs. Lucy R. Gonzales simply ignored the demand and went on to honor seven individuals from the different media outfits, including Marquez, during the MCPS gala event at the Sheraton Hotel and Marina on Sept. 2.

Gonzales had previously stated that she was going to file a lawsuit against COPAO for instigating a boycott and planned to ask damages amounting to $27,000, which is the same amount of money found missing from COPAO's treasury.

Reclosado, COPAO's sergeant-at-arms, said his wife Rebecca Reclosado, signed his name and hers and a friend's, Julie Selga, on an attendance sheet during a COPAO meeting called for another purpose.

Reclosado said he will file a complaint when COPAO holds its meeting next month.

"It's really so disappointing to see what lengths COPAO would go to advance the personal motives of its officers. Nakakainis," a middle-aged man commented.

With that revelation, it appeared possible that some of the 44 signatories listed on a separate sheet of paper attached to the letter might have signed it without knowing the purpose for which the petition had been intended.

The letter-petition dated July 19, 2007 and addressed to Mrs. Gonzales asked the MCPS "to reconsider and withdraw your plan of presenting an award for journalism to Mr. Marquez".

The paper on which the letter was typed bore the address: "Presidents' Meetings for Collaboration Secretariat Office 9630 Black Mountain Rd Ste G San Diego, CA 92126 Tel: 858-586-7382".

The address is the same address of Mabuhay Alliance where Bautista works as a full-time employee. Bautista apparently has been coveting an award from MCPS, according to an MCPS official, which has given her a cold shoulder for some reasons.

The letter-petition itself was all of one page, back to back, with less than three inch of space on which to write the names and signatures. At the bottom of the page is the notation: "cc: Officers & Board of Directors, Maria Clara de Pilipinas Sorority Nominees for 2007".

On that small space the names, organizations and signatures of the following appeared: Rita B. Andrews, president COPAO; Faith Bautista, Mabuhay Alliance; Alice Podschun, City of SD Fil-Am Emp. Asso; Fred Gallardo, VP Opns, COPAO; Daughlet Ordinario, Pagtatap USA/Mabuhay Alliance; and Rudy D. Liporada, Baguio City.

This second page, without any preceding note that it was part of the letter-petition, could be any signing sheet usually passed around during a community event.

Andrews and Bautista wrote another letter to Mrs. Gonzales dated August 17, 2007 reiterating their demands and at the same time, explaining that their action was "not an act of any single organization (such as COPAO), but an expression of opinion by some members of the community".

The signatories on the front page were: Jimmie Sober, Denny Milligan, Jay Ruiz, Regina Agarma, Albert Halili, Aurora Cudal, Henry Gonzales, Myra Lopez, Maria M. Martinez, Leticia Carpal, Crispulo Carpal, Fidela V. Gonzales, Angie Enerva Rebecca P. Reclosado, Arlito G. Reclosado, Julie Selga, Vida Samson, C.L Gallardo, Belen Mateo, Vicky DuBisel, Aby Leon, Blanca Paloma, Norma Patterson and Normita Atangan.

At the back of the page, the following are the signatories: Michael Jensen, Amy Jensen, Priscilla Garrovillas, Rose Lazaro N., Josie Robles, Eleanor Lazaro, Malou Lacaba, James S., Emil Robles, C. Bagsic, Roberto Bagsic, Almira Enriquez, Marietta del Rosario, Corazon Francisco, Frances Dumado, Carlos Balmaceda and Teodulo Garcia. Three other names were unreadable.