Side Notes: Questions Answered, pt.1

Who is Marco?

Marco is a full-time worker who denies that he had something to do with the rumor involving an "improper relationship."

The rumors prompted these emails from Frank Padilla:

From: Frank Padilla
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 3:39 PM

To: CFC Council :

Cc: BOARD OF ELDERS 2005-2007 :

Subject: a grave concern

Hello brothers. I bring to you a matter of very grave concern. Last April 18, I called Marco Flores because he again told another brother about Lachie regarding the "affair" and also that he had lots of unliquidated money in the millions, allegedly learning this from Ernie. In our direct talk, Marco said some more things about the "affair" and also said Ernie told him Lachie had 2M in anomalous transactions. I repeated what he was saying a number of times, and so there is no misunderstanding what he told me. On his suggestion, we agreed to meet with Ernie. But I was not able to go to Mindanao while they were there, and Ernie according to Marco was not available yesterday.

In the meantime, Lachie talked with Ernie about it, and Ernie said he did not tell Marco about 2M about Lachie.

OK, definitely one or the other is lying (no judgment about who is guilty, but merely giving the obvious logical conclusion). Yesterday I heard Marco vowed no longer to talk to anyone, including me. I called him, and he did confirm he no longer wanted to pursue this whole thing. He then claimed he misunderstood Ernie. When I pressed him on how could he possibly have misunderstood something like this, then he switched and said someone else told him. When I asked him who, he would not give the name.

Today Jay Pangan, Marco's household head, tried to have a one-on-one with him. Marco responded that he was not willing to do so. He said his posture now is that he will no longer talk to anyone about these issues. He also claimed he will only talk if the Council allows him to.

My concerns:


(1) Who lied--Marco or Ernie?

(2) Is Marco being muzzled? When he cannot even have a meeting with his own pastoral leader, someone is violating our pastoral principles. If it is not Ernie who lied, then it is Marco. In this case he must be corrected and punished. But even if he was not the one who lied, he has surfaced in many instances as a loose cannon. He has sowed intrigue, gossip and disunity. His actions are even cause for expulsion from CFC according to our statutes. I ask the Council to act urgently, and to be transparent in its decision and action. The Council must not be seen as being part of the persecution of Lachie, and even muzzling people who can shed light into what is going on.

Because this involves the Council itself, and because it involves ongoing matters that are now causing disunity, and because these are matters connected with hearings the BOE is conducting, I am also copying this to them.

God bless us all.

frank

From: Frank Padilla

Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2007 10:27 AM

To: CFC Council :

Cc: BOARD OF ELDERS 2005-2007 :

Subject: additional complaint versus marco

Hello brothers. I am disappointed that my urgent complaint against Marco was not taken up by you, as indicated by Joe when we met in Bataan. You have exerted much effort in complaints against Lachie, which you now are dismissing, while my complaint against Marco is not taken up.

I have an additional complaint. Marco told me that Ma-an Ponte told him about the "affair." I talked with Rouquel yesterday and he said there was nothing he or Ma-an said about this. According to him, Ma-an said it was Marco who was speaking against Lachie when they were in Israel, but she cannot remember saying anything at all against Lachie.

These are now two instances where it is the word of Marco against the word of two Council members, Ernie and Rouquel. Since I would like to believe you brothers, then it is Marco who is a liar. He also is a gossip and spreads slander. I ask that you act urgently on my complaints, and make the necessary sanctions. To my mind, that includes not allowing such a person to have a major service role, and perhaps even being terminated as a fulltimer.

God bless.

frank