Side Notes: On Gifts, Strings, and Everything In Between Pt. 2

Gifts with strings attached are difficult to appreciate. Here's is the next set of emails between Frank Padilla and Dylan Wilk.

Frank Padilla wrote:

Hello Dylan.

It is not right to say that the money was given to him for GK, but not to GK. He asked that people donate to GK in lieu of presents, and that is what people did. The money is for GK, but of course given in honor of the occasion. Look, I also gave money that time. When we have brethren celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, we usually just greet them. On very special occasions, like the 25th, we would give a gift. But people gave more BECAUSE THE MONEY WAS FOR GK. While people love and honor Tony & Lyn, they would not have given the amounts they gave if it was not for GK. And so it is not right that Tony has personal discretion over the fund. Just like any other GK money, it is only GK that should decide how money should be spent. And by the way, the funds were not just used for GK purposes but for personal. Should we have a list of all payments made so that we will actually see?
This so-called TM fund in GK is totally different from the Fulltimers Fund in CFC. First, as I said, this is other people's money, though given on the occasion of his anniversary, but now is GK money, while the FFund is my own money. Second, no fund was set up at the start, and the so-called TM fund was only set up later (because it was already being used for personal purposes), while from the start the FFund was deliberately set up for its specific purpose.

God bless.


At 05:24 PM 4/19/2007, you wrote:

Hi tito,

It seems I misunderstood when I was told that there was a question mark over the funds for the Meloto's 25th anniversary. I didn't know that any other money had been raised and so assumed it was my gift, hence my urgency in trying to clarify it with you. However, I've now verified and there seems to have been no impropriety at all in the way those funds were used either. If by 'personal fund' you mean a fund that he had personal discretion over, I don't see anything wrong in that as long as the funds were still used for GK purposes, which they were. That is no different to the fulltime workers fund that I believe you have discretion over. The money was given to him after all for GK, not to GK.

God bless,

Dylan

At 03:24 PM 4/22/2007, you wrote:

Hi tito,

OK I see the distinction between this and the full-timers fund; I didn't realise that was your money. I've asked two people who should know and been told there was no personal expense taken out of this fund and everything was spent for GK purposes, albeit things outside the usual GK programs (e.g. burial expenses, false teeth, etc for beneficiaries). However I'll do more research because, like you, I don't want even the slightest hint of impropriety in GK.

But it doesn't sound likely to me that even if there was some personal expense, that this would be at TM's explicit direction. You have known him far longer than me and you know he has totally detached himself from money. He has many people around him who are willing to pay his personal expenses (e.g. me). All the prize money he received from the Haydee Yorac, Ramon Magsaysay, etc plus all his speaking honoraria have been given straight to GK. This does not sound like the Tony Meloto we know. I suspect if this happened then it's probably someone taking the initiative to use this fund. Anyway, further research will be done and I'm sure if there has been any personal expense, he will make a corresponding donation to GK to cover it.

Tito, since we're on this subject, there's something I'd like to ask you about again because it's been on my mind ever since it happened and I'd like you to clear it up and put my mind at rest. About 2 years ago I discovered that some ANCOP money, donations from non-CFC members for the poor, had been used for CFC events and equipment in 2 or 3 areas in Europe. When I alerted you to it, your response was that if anything like this was going on, you expect to hear about it from the Borjas and not from me. Despite several requests from me, no action was taken to return the funds to ANCOP and no-one as far as I know was ever reprimanded for it. I've never told anyone about this but I'll be very honest, ever since then there has been a question mark in my mind about your integrity. Then recently you suggested I make up a false email address and pretend to be someone else to get information out of the Boo Chanco letter writer. This also shocked me because there was a perfectly legitimate route available to us which didn't involve deception, namely you simply asking Sandra who had emailed her.

Tito, I'm not trying to throw bricks at you and I'm not trying to be accusatory, I'm simply telling you what's on my mind. I haven't shared this with anyone but I would very much like you to put my mind at rest. As I continue to repeat, I have the highest regard for you.

God bless,

Dylan


Frank Padilla wrote:

Gerry already asked Sandra and she said it was not her, and I told you so. You were the one who said the letter writer claimed to be Lyn's relative, and I just said that that was what we suspected all along. Then you said I should investigate, but I suggested it should be you. That is when the suggestion came in. It was intended for good, that we both find out in a simple manner who indeed was the letter writer. In truth, I did not want to do such things (like a spy), and so I did not want to do it, but since it was for good, and would have easily settled a lot of things, I thought you might have no problem doing it so I suggested you do it.

Regarding Europe, I cannot remember what you say. I doubt very much if I put you off and told you I should just hear from the Borjas and not from you. I am not like that. I take in whatever inputs and comments anyone has, and in fact I have always had that posture throughout the world. Perhaps I could have said I would like to hear the report from the Borjas, which would have been very different from how what you are saying sounds. I also doubt that you gave me several requests, because just one request would have been sufficient for me to pass it on to the Borjas or anyone else concerned for action. If you did request, then I would indeed have passed it on. I would also have stated clearly that no Ancop funds should be used for CFC. If no action was taken, I am no longer accountable for that, because it is not my task to keep following up on everything happening everywhere in the global family. It would have been your task to follow up, and if after some follow ups nothing is done, I would have connected you directly with the Borjas and even arranged a meeting for you to thresh everything out. Anyway, I seem to remember the incident vaguely, and perhaps that whole thing has already been settled. If not, please do bring it up.

Regarding the TM fund, I am not suggesting that there are improprieties in the sense of blatant personal use. I even personally do not mind if some personal expenses are spent. But it is a matter of principle. If it belongs to GK, then it is GK that decides what it is spent for. Even if it is spent for outside the usual GK programs as you say, it should not be at Tony's discretion. Our helping brethren with burial, false teeth, etc., are for our own personal account, not for GK. Now you say it might be someone taking the initiative to use the fund. Well, again, it belongs to GK.

Just clarity re honoraria and prize moneys. It has been an established principle in CFC that all these belong to the community. I always turned over in full whatever honoraria outside groups gave me. Further, there would be no honoraria or prize money if not for GK and the work of all of us. These really do not belong to him, but to God and to His work.
God bless.

This exchange seems to have no ending, but it does. The last word is hotly contested....he who has the last word wins. But is the winner the better man? I think they give a good insight into what motivates each one.