Showing posts with label the trial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the trial. Show all posts

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. The trial part 1.

Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. The trial part 1. The Price to pay. Our masters' recipe on how to punish a president.

Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. The trial part 1.

The trial part 1.


By Evan Iliadis former Rotarian member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran wrote: Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. The trial part 1.

Rotarians and friends, I find myself here again after a long break, observing the events unfolding in Bohol. What I see is unusual and incomprehensible, resembling a masquerade taking place in a court of law in Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines.

Conflicts, misunderstandings, and rivalries naturally arise within any group working toward a common goal—be it a club, a church, or a fraternity. Often, these conflicts lead to excluding one party to preserve the unity of the group. Unfortunately, such exclusion is not always well-planned or justified. The last place one would expect this to occur is within Rotary International. Is this the first time it has happened? We cannot say for certain. One shouldn't rely on Rotary to disclose such information, nor on active Rotarians. It seems to be a secret.
 
Here is the complaint.





Give me a glass of wine please!

At the center of this unusual story are I, Evan Iliadis, a former member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran, and Derek Pyrah, who served as the chairman of the now-defunct Village Aide Program (VAP). Additionally, there are Dave and Baby Collins, who were the managers of VAP in the Philippines and also wanted to take control of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. There are a few others to be introduced shortly. 

As I mentioned on the previous page, I've received all kinds of emails, but I've never specifically addressed one that has come from both critics and supporters. They have been accusing me of covering up the activities of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. 

I claim that no one in the club was aware of the embezzlement involving Collins and Derek Pyrah concerning Matching Grants money and donations. One person stated, "Evan, I don’t know of a Rotary Club anywhere in the world that doesn’t include at least one accountant, a lawyer, and a few businessmen who are familiar with accounting and business practices. If you look at the classifications of the members in your club, they were all there."

Indeed, it was a very embarrassing remark. However, it comes from someone who has no understanding of how a typical club functions in the developing world, particularly in the Philippines. This topic may require a separate discussion, which I might provide in a future update or later on.

Interestingly, the most regrettable comment on this subject did not come from a Rotarian, but rather from an outsider who has been following the events from the beginning and is now closely monitoring the court proceedings. He seems confused about what is happening, who is involved, and what everyone wants—and why. Frankly, I have been somewhat disturbed by his remarks and questions directed at me. I feel compelled to address the situation honestly and openly, as I constantly strive to do.

Before I respond to this individual and review the trial proceedings, I owe you the update I promised a long time ago. To provide this update, we need to revisit the 3860 District Conference The trial part 1.held in Cebu in March 2008. At that conference, the jubilant District Governor Yumi Espina believed he had achieved so much during his tenure that he deserved to host a lavish party at district expense, combining elements of both Persepolis and Hollywood.

The "dream team" from Canada that he brought in for the event included a controversial Past District Governor who claimed to be “the personal envoy of the Rotary International president.” Additionally, there was a Rotary representative from the UN, along with two or three other Past Presidents and Past District Governors who had gained some recognition in their hometowns in Canada for bringing along a few used laptops — which were obsolete in Canada and discarded there before being sent to the Philippines. Of course, there was also a mix of local Rotarians and other guests in attendance.

The abundance of gourmet food and drinks, dancers, parades, men in military uniform forming a sword canopy for the introduction of the big shots, speeches, and crocodile tears about the poor the dream team wowed “to change all that” “Son et lumière” effects and much more. (Please let me know if the life of the poor Cebuano has changed ever since)… The event appeared for a while on the District’s website with more than 300 photos then disappeared, not even cached pages can be found apart from 2 or 3  bad quality clips on YouTube not worth a referral. Oh well… who cares about dream teams anymore…

Derek Pyrah was determined to make significant changes within the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT). He had two main objectives: first, to put the RCT out of business so that Collins could start a new club from scratch; second, to address the initial failure of the club, which was considered too ambitious and difficult to achieve. He intended to pressure District Governor Yumi Espina to rehabilitate former Rotarians Dave and Baby Collins, along with Deo Dioscoro, and help them find a new club within the district. To achieve these goals, he developed a clever plan that he carefully implemented as follows:

He arrived at the event with his own “dream team” from Australia, including PDG Bill Litle and a few others. In addition to a camera, they brought along a set of drums, some rice, cans of sardines, and a few t-shirts. He set up inside the convention, showcasing his typical dramatic pictures and PowerPoint presentations that left many attendees in tears. But that wasn't all! He also had two Paul Harris Fellow awards in his suitcase, which he purchased for Dave and Baby Collins. (Keep in mind, he was a Matching Grants trader, which allowed him to receive a significant discount.)

The trial part 1.

He was planning to use them as the most powerful weapon, thinking it would create significant confusion when used in the presence of Rotarians from about 90 clubs. He believed that all my efforts against the crooks would become obsolete, forcing the Rotary Club Team (RCT) to adopt a more aggressive stance against me. Furthermore, he thought, "Let’s kiss each other now, and to hell with this traitor, Evan."

On March 14, 2008, they executed the first step of the conspiracy using John Van Laar, the Past District Rotary Governor, somewhere in Canada. He presented the Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) award, which had been purchased by Pyrah, to David Collins, announcing him as a member of the RCT. He also recognized Baby Collins as a member of the Rotary Club of Cebu, all in the presence of many RCT members during the DISCON event where the ceremony took place.
 

But the truth is, none of the recipients was a member of the RCT. They deserted it in October of 2007 to avoid answering questions, and stripped of their membership in January 2008. As you’ll soon have the opportunity to see the letter of termination.

Even worse, how Baby Collins became a member of the Rotary club of Cebu without prior clearance.

 

The truth is that none of the recipients were members of the RCT (Rotary Club of Tagbilaran). They deserted the organization in October 2007 to avoid answering questions and had their membership revoked in January 2008, as you will see in the termination letter.

 

Even more concerning is how Baby Collins became a member of the Rotary Club of Cebu without the prior clearance and recommendation from her original club, the RCT, which is required by Rotary bylaws. Collins claims they were unaware of their termination. Did Governor Espina not know either? 

 

If the governor is not aware of who is in or out of his district, then who is? Rotarians were well aware of the situation; however, it seems they chose to pretend otherwise to undermine the RCT. Their strategy was successful. After the award ceremony, the “family photo” was taken, highlighting the divide. 

And recommendation of her original club to the RCT as required by the Rotary bylaws? They –Collins – say they didn’t know about their termination. Didn’t they? Governor Espina didn’t know? If the governor doesn’t know who’s in who’s out of his district, who does? Rotarians, trust me, they all knew, but it was in their agenda to pretend not to, in an attempt to ambush the RCT. And it worked. After the award ceremony, the“ family photo” was

The trial part 1.

taken as seen above with the capture published to the VAP website.I promptly dismantled their plans and falsehoods by updating my website to share the truth with the world. However, what I conveyed mattered less than the future direction of the RCT. A significant challenge lies ahead for inexperienced, low-profile Rotarians in the third-world who are recipients of Derek Pyrah’s rice and sardines, as they face a group of predators skilled in subtle manipulation and conspiracies from the first world.

Next, the group implemented part two of their conspiracy. They brought both “dream teams” to Bohol to “witness for themselves how life on this island has improved thanks to those saviors sent by God to alleviate the misery.” One has to wonder what the poor would have endured without their help!The trial part 1.

 

 In reality, Pyrah and Collins did not bring them to Bohol for the reasons they claimed; their true intention was to assert their dominance over the RCT, sending a clear message: “submit or die.” These high-profile Rotarians would not even acknowledge you unless you complied with their demands, which included reinstating Collins and, most importantly, openly denouncing the traitor Evan Iliadis, who had instigated this conflict against them. They entirely ignored the RCT and, even more so, the other club, RCUT. In fact, they had not visited either.

Once the dust settled in the days following the attack, the group realized that the RCT had not suffered any harm as they had anticipated. Desperate to justify the money and time spent firing at the RCT, Collins launched his final assault. Through his lawyer, he issued a summons to DG Yumi Espina, asking him to delist the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran based on vague and unfounded claims. Espina rejected the request, not out of sympathy for the club, but out of fear of repercussions from Rotary International, which was struggling to increase its membership. The last thing they needed was a governor closing a club!

It became clear to everyone that the evil team’s demolition plan had failed to produce results; however, that was what everyone believed at the time.

Another glass of wine please!             

 


Friday, September 11, 2020

Rotary's 4 ways test as tested in a court of law.


Rotary's 4 ways test as tested in a court of law.

Friends. Reading the transcripts of 3 witnesses, I am very pleased of the way the defense attorneys are handling the case, that it goes all the way to hell for the plaintiffs and their supporters , if any... Rotary's 4 ways test as tested in a court of law.

Their (plaintiffs') lawyers have turned this case into unrelated events, like "what the VAP status is", "what was doing", "if is a Rotary or a "stand alone" (Derek's words) entity", "who send the anonymous letters and if they were read in the RCT regular meeting", and most important, if the witnesses "know a certain Evan Iliadis". It looks like the case is shifting from the defendant Luella Bantol and comes towards me. By the way, I'll be happy to be their guest. in this or any other case, any time they choose... Rotary's 4 ways test as tested in a court of law.

They thought they can link the defendant to the anonymous letters, or to a conspiracy with me for a demolition job. Reading the transcripts, none has succeeded. Rotarian Attorney Butchi Zamora and Attorney Acosta have done a marvelous job, so did the defendant in avoiding the trap Collins tried to put her in, by designating 16 witness mostly Rotarians, just for the purpose of intimidation, hoping she will settle the case in their (Plaintiffs) terms, so humiliating and face loosing.. More of that on the web site in a few days .

My older brother and best friend who has passed away now, was a prominent lawyer stationed in Greece and I was helping him with business litigation cases in the French speaking countries in Europe, said two things to remember:

1- “Never ask a witness a question if you don’t know what the answer will be”.

2- “Bring certain cases to the trial is an adventure difficult to predict the outcome. I have lost cases that I was considered 100% winnable and won others with the odds of winning being so small”.

It is clear now, the accusers understood, that even with 36 witnesses will never be able to have a case, the defendant will not settle it in their terms, possibly many witness are unhappy to take the stand against 


fellow Rotarian.

They chose to control the damages by putting Collins on the stand, probably as a final witness and rest their case with a bang. But it won’t happen, he hasn’t more to say than the others. The plaintiffs began their case by bringing 3 Rotarians to the witness stand for a demonstration on their knowledge about the 4 ways test, Rotary bylaws and....if they know a certain Evan Iliadis.... Anything else? Nothing related to the accusations, just to waist court's time and harassing the defendant.

Let's start with Maita Manglapus who was called to testify about the legality of informing the district clubs of the termination of a Rotarian. You think that's why they called her? Not really...


Be
fore we analyze her real motivations it's good to go through some of the highlights on her testimony, You'll have the opportunity to see the entire deposition I will be uploading on the server in a few days. below is a first installment, and please, let me know if any one has heard the reading of the 4 ways test in a court as asked by the defense attorney and answered by the witness.

Club Presidents, Rotarians, be on notice. It is fair to all to be sued by your district for doing your job....Yes, I said the district, this witness is an Assistant Governor as there will be others Past AG and PP to testify against the defendant.

Q. "Madam witness, the filing of this case against the

defendant, who is a fellow Rotarian, do you believe it's fair to all concerned?"

A.Yes sir.

Q. Would it be beneficial to all concerned and lastly would it bring good will to all concerned?

A. Yes sir

Q. and how about the fact whether it could bring good will and friendship between the plaintiffs and the defendant?

A. It depends of the turnout of this case sir.

Then, attorney Zamora, a member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran invited her for a demonstration on her knowledge of rotary bylaws that she, as an Assistant Governor, should have foul knowledge

Q. Madam witness, a notice of termination is not a personal act of the President but an act in accordance with the mandate of the board, is that correct?

A. Yes sir.

Q. So you will agree with me that this sending of the notice of termination is not a personal act of the defendant (Editor's note: PP Luella Bantol), but she made this one in her official capacity as a President because she was ordered as her actions was approved by the Board of Directors , is that correct?

A. Yes sir, but the channel of sending the letter is of course first to the District governor.

Q. In what particular provisions of the Rotary By-laws or constitution is that found, Madam witness?

A. I am not familiar with that.

Q. I believe we have here a copy of the constitution and the By-laws, please point in what particular provision is that found and I know you are very conversant of this being a past president of your club?

A. Shall I read it? I cannot.

Q. Ok. But you are a hundred % sure being being a the President that this provision is found in the constitution?

A. Yes sir.

ATTY ZAMORA: That's all your Honor.

CLICK HERE to see the original transcripts of the testimony above on a pop up window within this page . or CLICK HERE to see it on a different page. Please excuse the quality of the scans, they were done on a type writer and not printed from a computer.

As I stated above, you will soon have the opportunity to read the entire testimony containing about 50 pages where it was revealed what I always knew: Maita being " l'enfant cherie" du VAP didn't come to bring any essential testimony to the case.

She brought two things: Her total ignorance on Rotary Laws, her unconditional commitment to the VILLAGE AIDE PROGRAM where she has been an admirer to Collins dry toilets "architecture" , her business oblige, as a construction materials dealer. Oh! I forgot one thing: She was also asked if she knows me and if she received e-mails from me!... Oh well, waist of time... who haven't receive mails from me....

**************


Is the VILLAGE AIDE PROGRAM a "Stand alone project"? And if it is, what this it means? In an attempt to confuse the members of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran Derek Pyrah and Dave Collins invented this status as justification of being sole handlers of the Matching Grants money and donations. CLICK HERE to see Derek Pyrah mail now an exhibit in the trial. Have a good laugh... TRF attributes the MG to clubs, not to "stand alone" entities...

Next in line is GRACE CAMPO former secretary of the RCT and now President of the ROTARY CLUB OF TUBIGON BOHOL PHILIPPINES. She testified in May of 2009. About what? I went through her 60 pages testimony several times without be able to find out what her testimony related to the case was about, other than praise the VILLAGE AIDE PROBLEM and, of course, if she knows a certain Evan Iliadis who is sending mails.... Of course she knows me!. She likes me so much, that in my last meeting in the RCT Aug 2007 she asked me several times and in the most anxious and sarcastic manner "when I was leaving?"...She had her reasons, I'll explain later.

Grace's testimony was directed by the plaintiffs attorney towards an anonymous letter that a group of Rotarians in Australia mass mailed to the district alerting the RCT and the district about the VILLAGE AIDE PROGRAM misusing Matching Grants, individual and Rotary clubs donations, explaining in details how the scam was setup by Derek Pyrah and the Collins using the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran as the laundry machine. I Evan Iliadis, joined the group and officially AND namely informed the RCT asking a formal investigation on the allegations. Why Grace is making a taboo of the content of this anonymous letter? She knows very well what it was about. She said and recanted, as to whether this letter was read in the regular meeting or not. Apparently, they try to link PP Luella Bantol - the defendant - to this mail. Then, later on, Atty Zamora for the defendant went on to to ask whether the VAP was a Rotary Organization or a "Stand alone"entity..

It is important to mention that is now revealed, the RCT through a mail (That I haven't see it personally but it comes from Grace testimony) Luella Bantol went swiftly to cut off club's relationship with the VAP informing the managers members of the club the end of collaboration. Basically, she threw the towel...

Let's read some excerpts of Grace testimony: CLICK HERE to see a few pages of the transcripts


Next In a few days: The testimony of former Rotarian Cory Ann Verge, as controversial as the person is, part of the crowd of "philanthropist" organizations mashrooming in Bohol, hers not being an exception. She's the most pissed off of the fall of the VILLAGE AIDE PROGRAM. she has turned a camp built with donations from good people to a resort with payable activities , like wedding, family events and for what ever reason one wants to rent the place.More on that and her testimony coming soon.

 

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