“It doesn’t mean we are quiet that we are giving in.  We don’t mean that we didn’t participate that we are on the wrong side either,” this is the opening message of Marlon De Leon, who is claiming to be the President of the Filipino Community Council of Victoria (FCCVI), to his email to The Philippine Times and Filaus Inquirer (a new Facebook media platform) dated 5 April 2019.

De Leon expressed his sentiments about how his group saw the recently-held interim election of Dumapias camps as “unlawful” because it went against FCCVI’s traditionally-held practices rooted in its constitution.

Now breaking his silence, he writes: “The 3rd March 2019 meeting organized by Dumapias and the 17th March 2019 meeting organized by Marginson were both not meeting the requirements set to hold a special general meeting under Rule 31 or 32 of the FCCVI constitution. Thus, nullifying the validity of the 31st March 2019 ‘Interim election’.”

“They have conducted an illegal election last Sunday, 31st March 2019, which were facilitated and conducted by outsiders for and on behalf of the FCCVI Faction of Dumapias and Fred Jover. They allowed even non-members to vote, thus aggravating the nullity of the elections. It was a travesty of a democratic process and a betrayal of the sovereign power, prerogative and integrity of bonafide FCCVI members,” he added.

Same day FCCVI events by Dumapias and De Leon

On 31 March 2019, Marithes Dumapias and her group conducted an election wherein she was eventually elected Interim President of FCCVI. All her officers are likewise on an interim capacity and will all step down to give way to the new set of officers to be elected in November 2019.

Dumapias claims that the interim election was held in answer to the VCAT ruling calling for an early election.

On the same day, the group of De Leon who held their election on 10 March 2019 was conspicuously absent as they claim that they have the mandate already and in fact operating as the legitimate group to run FCCVI.

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Their First Quarterly Meeting revolved around De Leon giving the attendees an assurance of a committed delivery of his platform for the next two years.

“I have reassured the members of the Execom, leaders and members of FCCVI of my commitment to deliver my platform for the next two years,” De Leon said.

Trying not to offend uneligible members who voted during the interim election of Dumapias’ camp, De Leon said some voted yet they were still not allowed due to the six-month rule of the Constitution for new members.

“As President of FCCVI, I don’t want to hurt any bona fide member organization nor name and shame those supposed “new members” and those arguably deregistered organizations, reinstated and are assuming to be bona fide members,” he said.

De Leon added that he was surprised to see former FCCVI leaders in the 31 March election who should be championing strict compliance to the Election Rules and Constitution and allowed new members and non-members to vote.

“It is sad but my confidence and trust to those leaders is flushed down the drain,” De Leon said.

FCCVI funds are safe and secured

Despite the crisis, FCCVI is business as usual. “Our financial position was co-presented by our Treasurer and Internal Auditor; giving us the assurance that our funds are safe and secured from 10 March 2019,” De Leon added.

Likewise, working Committees were created such as: Membership, Constitution, Election and Grievance and Disciplinary Committees. Adhoc committees were  also formed: Regional Coordination, Youth and Sports, Legal and Constitutional Affairs, New Migrant Affairs, and Fund Raising and Benevolent Relationship Committees.

His team, he said, is focusing more on performance: “Our governance team, staff, workers and volunteers are stepping outside the noise in social media and media sensationalism because we are busy working to deliver our commitments and preparing for a bigger and better FCCVI from 2019 onwards!,” he ended.

1 COMMENT

  1. “If” this is true when non-members were allowed to vote and there’s proof, then this should go back to VCAT to ascertain the validity of the election held on 31 March.
    VCAT should appoint non-filo’s as an interim management in the short term & re-do the constitution to avoid 50% + 1 debacle. Then have an “All Out Election” thereafter.

    Similar outcome at 3ZZZ when our Filo program was cancelled for 3 months. After the investigation, 3ZZZ management organised a “General Election” chaired by George from 3ZZZ. Winner takes all. I remembered it well coz I was there.

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