Volume 4, Issue No. 64
OPINION/COMMENTARY
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
Our latest as of Wednesday, June 14, 2023
~ The constitution of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council (NEPMCC) lists one of its goals "to consider, investigate, and deal with complaints about the conduct of the Ethnic Press . . . " Its efficacy will now be put to the test in the case against two of its officials and their tabloid following revelations by staff writers of the documented deception they engaged in in delaying salaries amounting to thousands of dollars.
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EDITORS AT PHILIPPINE REPORTER CAUGHT RED-HANDED
Will the NEPMCC Investigate Hermie Garcia for His Lies?
At Stake in This Drama Is the Integrity of the Ethnic Media
Part 2
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
Editor, The Filipino Web Channel
"Never lie to someone who trusts you and never trust someone that lies to you".
- Deanna Wadsworth
TORONTO - "Our privilege and duty," states the Code of Ethics of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC), "is to seek and publish the truth, defend free speech and the right to equal treatment under law . . . "
The second part of that statement which reads "defend free speech" is unquestionably true. As a journalist, I can attest to it. My experience with NEPMCC years ago is something that speaks well of the leadership of Thomas Saras, its long-time president and chief executive officer.
When a community functionary (who was fired for stealing a computer at his work place) associated with Hermie Garcia of The Philippine Reporter asked NEPMCC to muzzle me for reporting on wrongdoings and discipline for my adversarial writing style, Saras stood up to him.
" . . . please allow me to express my sympathy for your grievances against the writing style of Mr. (Romy) Marquez, but at the same time I have to respect his right to free expression," Saras wrote without flinching.
"If Mr. Marquez is referring to wrong facts then I will suggest that you should consult a lawyer," he added, emphasizing that only courts of law, not him, can determine the "accuracy or not of the writing". Besides, he stated, as NEPMCC president, he can not impose any style of reporting on him.
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The humiliation was unbearable for the heckler but for me, it was one shining moment for NEPMCC. Saras' remark was a principled expression of the kind of ethics he subscribes to and flows to the 1,200 media outlets that hold membership in NEPMCC.
I mention this incident only to illustrate Saras' deep commitment to journalism. It highlights his ethos (defined as "the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution") - the word and the concept the Western world borrowed from the Greeks from where he is descended.
Now, the first part of the Code of Ethics - "to seek and publish the truth" - suggests that the NEPMCC is an organization willing to police its members who have gone astray.
That brings me to the issues raised against Hermie Garcia of The Philippine Reporter by two writers, namely, the journalist Michelle Ramos, and an intern who reported from one of the Prairie Provinces region of Canada.
Ironically, this intern who requested anonymity, is a card-carrying member of Anakbayan, the youth group sympathetic to left-wing causes in the Philippines and Canada that's heavily-promoted by Hermie Garcia in his paper.
Ms. Ramos and the intern have groused about their salaries not being paid on time, a situation blamed by Hermie Garcia on the late arrival of monies which he said came in "trickles of small amounts" that supposedly took months.
Ms. Ramos was informed by Maria Voutsinas, NEPMCC executive director, that Hermie Garcia's excuses were all lies. And the person he claimed was responsible for the disbursements was also his fabrication.
Hermie Garcia and wife Mila Garcia are both officials of NEPMCC; he, as a member of the executive board and senior vice president, and she, as vice president for immigration and humanitarian affairs.
Their proximity to Saras, their access to policy discussions, and their long friendship with him have placed them in a position of influence and might sway decisions.
As board members, will the Garcias be held accountable according to the same professional standards stated in the NEPMCC's Code of Ethics regardless of their position in the organization? Will NEPMCC live up to its own code?
In the complaint filed by Ms. Ramos, a former staff reporter who quit TPR, it is alleged that Hermie Garcia lied repeatedly, and deliberately misled her and another reporter by engaging in deception to justify delaying their salaries for months.
He even created an invisible grants guy "in charge of disbursements" who turned out to be a ghost, as confirmed by Ms. Voutsinas, to evade responsibility for the fake narrative he was weaving and told and retold to Ms. Ramos and the intern.
None of these fully-documented acts has so far warranted any action from Saras and his executive board. In fact, on the commemoration of Freedom of the Press day on May 19 at Toronto City Hall, Saras handed out citations to 15 members, including the Garcia couple.
(Full story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2023/05/hermie-and-mila-garcia-freedom-fighters.html). (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFgYaFvRz8I).
One of the objectives of the NEPMCC as enunciated in Article 1 of its Constitution is, and I quote verbatim, "to consider, investigate, and deal with complaints about the conduct of the Ethnic Press and the conduct of persons and organizations towards the Ethnic Press".
The unravelling of Hermie Garcia was accidental. The many things said about Ms. Ramos' and the intern's salaries, the "grants guy" so-called, the alleged difficulty in securing monies from Canadian Heritage, etc. - all were fabricated by Hermie Garcia and attested by Ms. Voutsinas as false.
Ms. Ramos' curiosity (or a nose for news) had led her to NEPMCC. Luckily, the person she talked to was Ms. Voutsinas, also NEPMCC's managing director, a straight shooter who is cut from the same cloth as her father Thomas Saras, the NEPMCC president.
Ms. Ramos told Ms. Voutsinas that she wanted to talk directly to the "grants guy" mentioned by Hermie Garcia and inquire why her salary was being delayed.
Forthright, she told Ms. Ramos: " . . . there never was a grant guy 'in charge of the disbursements". That was a big surprise that contradicted Hermie Garcia's earlier statements.
Ms. Ramos showed Ms. Voutsinas the emails Hermie Garcia sent her blaming the delays on the NEPMCC and the elusive grant guy presumably from the government.
Ms. Voutsinas revealed to her that the NEPMCC and government were never slow with the disbursements that Hermie Garcia had claimed he was 'frustrated' with in his October 31, 2022 email.
She also affirmed that the NEPMCC had already given The Philippine Reporter the grants to cover their salaries for the period of April 2022 - March 2023 in lump sum back in April 2022 so there was no excuse for the delays.
"Therefore," Ms. Ramos added, "The Philippine Reporter did not 'advance' me partial payments out of their own pockets like they falsely told me, because contrary to what they repeatedly claimed, the fact is the NEPMCC had already given them all the funds in advance".
Was Hermie Garcia intent on pocketing the money? Or did he use it for some personal necessities he's too shy to admit? Whatever the case, his lies and deceptions should never be tolerated. Ever. (Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved).
If you get hold of Ambassador Bobi Tiglao’s book “Debunked,” turn to page 147. You should be able to easily I.D. that interesting character mentioned as a commie who now lives in Toronto. Regards.- Sluggo Rigor, Seattle, WA.
ReplyDeleteI got the book today from Amazon. "Herz" is mentioned on page 149.
ReplyDelete