By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(Journal Group Link International)

In an e-mail to Ronnie M. Estrada of Journal Group Link International, Ms. Paniza said “The article is false because I did not hand out $5.00 phone cards to get votes. I gave these cards to my employees. Please correct your information that you reported.”

The article co-written by Mr. Estrada and this writer claimed that, “When reminded by Mr. Estrada that the $5-prepaid phone card that she is giving away to prospective voters could spell trouble for her for violating election laws, Ms. Paniza said, “before I ran for council member, I was already giving away $5-prepaid phone cards to my clients and people in the neghborhood, why will they question me this time?”

It turned out that the reporters made an “honest mistake” when they wrote “voters,” instead of “employees,” who got $5-prepaid phone cards from Ms. Paniza. The reporters regret the error.

In an e-mail, Ms. Paniza told Mr. Estrada, “When you interviewed me on Sept. 11, 2010 (sic) at Great America  "One Kapamilya Go" I was honored to be interviewed by our "kababayan" but the articles and the broadcast in "MabuhayRadio" was damaging and misquoted. The article is totally false and you are civilly liable for this publication of a slanderous MabuhayRadio news report.

 
”The article is false because I did not hand out $5.00 phone cards to get votes, I gave these cards to my employees. Please correct your information that you reported. You should know more about journalistic ethics before publishing the reports.

“Besides being utterly false and intentionally malicious to my detriment, I have been tainted in my business as well. I am a businesswoman and experienced manager with over a dozen years of government experience with San Mateo County Corrections in Redwood City. I am careful about breaking any laws. I honor our laws and the US Constitution. But malicious attacks on me as a candidate and as an owner of my healthcare homes, no one will take lightly. I rely on my good reputation and integrity.

“You have cost me potential losses to my business which may harm me regardless of this campaign to serve the citizens of Daly City.  Moreover, I will consult my attorneys and find legal resolve against this damaging article that is so punitive and devastating.

”Please verify your stories with witnesses and credible source.  I believe what was said against or about me are taken out of context!
”I cannot sleep and will be distressed from now on. The remedies for this libel will be resolved with my legal counsel. I expect your immediate attention.

”I expect your retraction, apologies to my voters and community as well as to my business clientele,” Ms. Paniza concluded.

Ms. Paniza is one of the two Filipino Americans running for council seats in suburban Daly City in California during the Nov. 2nd general elections. The other is incumbent Mayor Miguel “Mike” P. Guingona, another Filipino American, who is running for re-election for a council seat so he can reclaim the mayorship.

Ms. Paniza, who turned 48 last 9/11, has a degree in administration and an Associate degree in Science from the University of San Agustin in the Philippines and a Dentistry degree from Centro Escolar University. She is also the owner and CEO of Daly Physical Therapy and a chain of Araville Residential Care Homes in San Francisco and South San Francisco.

Ms. Paniza campaigned among the Filipino-American voters who trooped to the “One Kapamilya Go!” Show at the Great America in Santa Clara last Sunday (Sept. 12). She told this reporter in a phone interview that if elected to the $18,000-a-year post, she would like to introduce better health-care services; increased employment opportunities, improved educational prospects, enhanced elderly care and round-the-clock youth program and affordable housing.

Ms. Paniza also told field reporter, Ronnie M. Estrada, who was on hand to interview her, that she will tackle “social and economic issues” that affect the day-to-day activities. “These are issues that adversely affect a vast majority of us in the community that needs to be addressed.” # # #

Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at:  (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)