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In a message dated 8/23/2009 1:19:53 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, Ernesto1gange writes:
Re: POINT OF ORDER: GREG MACABENTAS was not involved in the $300,000 grant ...
Mr. Romeo Marquez
Editor
Philippine Voice News
San Diego, CA
Re: Point of Order, I am convinced that Greg's hand did not touch inside the WELLS FARGO cookie jar.
Dear Romy, Greg, Joy and Tocayo,
When the allegation surfaced, that Greg Macabenta was involved in the NaFFAA FUND SCANDAL, I, too, was surprised. fortunately, Joy has a copy of the Audit report and form 990 for 2002-2001. Treasurer Lourdes Corrales, a close ally of Ben Menor hid the documents from the general public.
How did I know Greg Macabenta.
I first met Greg in Los Angeles Convention Center in June 1997, as member of the
Philippine Centennial Movement, whose mission was to plan the Philippine Centennial celebration.in 1998. Greg was a paid Public Relations Contractor, and the rest of us were unpaid volunteers.
I was also there at the invitation of the Asia Society, as panelist, in the conference,
"FOCUS ON THE PHILIPPINES," and "The Role of Filipino Americans in the RP-US relations." Our panel Chair was Mona Lisa Yuchenco, with Rep. Vilma Veloria,
Usec. Federico Macaranas, Prof. E. de la Cruz of UCLA, Ed Teoseco of Metro Bank, Alex Esclamado of Philippine News and myself.
I was seated next to Alex, and, he told me to join with him to form a new national organization, with a lady named Loida Nicolas Lewis of New York. I told him, that, I am not interested with FAPA..
A few weeks later, Alex called me from Illinois, and told me that he will visit Philadelphia, on his way to New Jersey. I requested Dr. Francis Talangbayan and his wife Kristy to pickup Alex at the Philadelphia International Airport.
Our Philadelphia meeting in a Filipino Restaurant was a SRO. We put all the tables outside, to accommodate the people who want to listen to Alex., and the rest is history.
I first met Greg at a Convention of the Philippine Centennial Movement in the LA in 1997.
He was a contractor for the promotion of the Philippine Centennial Celebration.
The second time I met Greg was in WDC, during the first National Filipino American Empowerment Conference, the precursor of NaFFAA in August 1997, He was assigned by Alex to edit our numerous "position papers" which was inserted in the "Conference Book."
Again we met at the Region 2 Conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia in October 2001. Although Greg was present in most the NaFFAA conferences, but, I cannot recall that he was elected to any position as a National Executive Officer.(NEO) One thing about Greg, that I admire, was, that, he was a graduate from UHK, university of hard knocks. He told us that he did not finish college, and, that is an act which is hard to follow.
AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE NAFFAA BOD TELECONFERENC, Aug. 7, 2009
When I received an invitation from Greg to participate in the National teleconference of the BOD, I was honored, because, it was a very long time ago, since I was invited by Alex and Loida in this BOD conferences .I invited Bobby who invited Dr. Joy Bruce, and that was good.
During the meeting, a certain Lorna Dietz, self proclaimed chairman of computer troll, resented our presence. Joy, Rudy and I were considered outsiders. Lorna demanded that any one of us who is appointed in a committee must be sure that we paid our membership dues to NaFFAA. She was very arrogant, this Lorna Troll. When Joy apologized to her, she was so shallow, that, she thought that it was all Joy's fault.
I did not like what I heard. Greg who was in the Philippines supported Lorna Dietz, and, he, too, expressed his contempt to Joy for doubting the NaFFAA NEO's. They were both surprised when Joy furnished the NaFFAA NEOs a copy of the Audit Report 2002-2001, which was being guarded by Treasurer Lourdes Corrales.from publication, for fear that it will implicate her, for lending Ben her own money. What made us mad was the fact that the financial information was with Corrales, and yet, she conveniently refused to attend the Teleconference of the BOD,
Romy, I appeal to you to help us locate the stolen money, the receipts of the 2002 National Conference. This money, if recovered will help NaFFAA to survive this sad predicament, not paying our only Staff Les Talusan for salaries owed to her, $25,000 and other bills including rent and utilities.
I enjoin you to help us rebuild NaFFAA from the ashes. If we find the stolen money, then, it will be a shot in the arm for our Federation.
Thank you for your commitment for the truth.
Sincerely,
Ernesto Gange, Philadelphia
Co-founder, NaFFAA
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