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MetroVanIndependent.com
August 2015
Opinion
SPIDS belie Fortaleza, UFCABC claim
(Note: This is being sent to known members of Filipino media, to the leaders mentioned in the article, some officers of UFCABC
(as per PNT Newspaper Vol 17. No 11) whose email addresses we have, and to Philippine Consul General Neil Ferrer.)
Dear members of Filipino media, fellow
Community Volunteers, and Consul
General Ferrer,
It has come to my attention that my
name and that of the organization I head,
SPIDS, were specifically mentioned in
the article “Publisher Hit for Undermining
Efforts to Unite Community” on Philippine
News Today [July 1-15 Issue Volume 17 No.
13].
“All heads of recognized Filipino
Associations were given due notice and
an opportunity to serve as volunteer or
member….. Narima Dela Cruz of Surrey
Philippine Independence Day Society
(SPIDS) was invited to the first meeting
presided over by the Consulate General
but she did not show up. Neither of them
cannot now question the legitimacy of the
proceedings because they were given
due notice and ample opportunity to
participate.”
As such, this statement is deemed
necessary to clarify once and for all the
facts behind this matter and clear whatever
speculations they implied to be our
connection to this issue. As I was named
on the article but was not contacted for any
comment, I invoke this right now to give my
side of information.
On June 29th, Steve Marshall sent me
an email asking me if SPIDS or I were ever
officially invited to join or meet the United
Filipino Canadian Associations in BC
(UFCABC) and of what do I know about
them.
My response to him in writing was
direct and truthful. “No, I did not receive
any invitation.” and that “SPIDS is not a
member of that association.” Reading
Narima Dela Cruz. Photo by Bert Morelos.
his editorial, he did not mention that
any organization (i.e. SPIDS) questioned
the formation of this so called “umbre lla
organization” but he merely stated the
response he got from us. The opinion and
questions on the editorial were clearly
his’ and not of any of the organizations
mentioned.
The meeting invitation from Philippine
Consulate that Joel Castillo was quoted
saying in the article was probably that
which the Consulate called back in January
16th this year held at MHHS in Vancouver.
That invite for a "General Assembly"
however, does not say anything about
forming an "umbrella organization". What
it says is:
"The assembly will discuss, among
others, the indicative calendar of activities
to commemorate the 117th anniversary
of the Pr ocla mation of Philippine
Independence, as well as the enlistment of
volunteers to assist the Philippines Cultural
Pista ng Bayan Society through its working
committees."
"The Consulate also wishes to use this
occasion to formally announce its decision
to step down as Co-Chair of Philippines
Cultural Pista ng Bayan Society....."
I was not available for that meeting due
to a prior work schedule but respectfully
sent my regrets and advised the Consulate
of SPIDS’ June event date. This was
acknowledged by the Office of the Consul
General.
If, as Steve Marshall wrote, the Pista
ng Bayan Society turned into United
Filipino Canadians Associations in BC and
claimed to be the umbrella organization
of all associations, I’d say that it is their
preference which I assumed they are ready
to responsibly be liable for.
But when they (the President or some
of its officers) were being questioned by
media to justify their claim, they should
not make any false pronouncements that
all associations (and naming SPIDS for that
matter) were “invited” to join and “have no
right to question their legitimacy” because
for the record, not only is SPIDS not invited
to join nor interested at all to join their
association.
SPIDS as a duly registered society has
its own resolute aim and mission for the
community that we serve, and does not
see any requirement as of this date to
affiliate ours with any umbrella group or
associations except for the Multicultural
Groups and Associations in our very own
City of Surrey.
What I’d like to point out is the
u t te r l y d i s a p p o i n t i n g j o u r n a l i s t i c
unprofessionalism of the PNT newspaper
to allow an article that specifically named
names yet didn’t even find time to get all
these people’s side of the story. I believe it
is the proper and ethical way of publishing
a news based on the Journalistic Standards
and Practices (JSP).
This blatant disrespect for the rights
of the people involved in their news article
tells the public what kind of publication this
newspaper wants to present and offer.
I appeal to the Philippine Consulate to
once and for all clear the matter regarding
the meeting that Joel Castillo and PNT
Newspaper (its Publisher Rey Fortaleza is
UFCABC Vice President which their article
failed to mention) claimed is the invitation
sent to all Filipino Canadian leaders to join
and form this “umbrella organization”.
This was explicitly cited on PNT June
1-15 Issue Vol. 17 No. 11 page A8 stating
“After one year, the Consulate decided
to pass the leadership to the community
where the consulate called an assembly to
form the umbrella organization in the name
of United Filipino Canadian Associations
of BC.”
If this is merely an assumption and
declaration of PNT Newspaper, I believe it
is time for the Consulate to state otherwise
and to advise anyone to stop incorrectly
name dropping or using the Philippine
Consulate in any of their press releases,
posters, events and publication.
Sincerely,
Narima Dela Cruz
President & Founding Director,
Surrey Philippine Independence Day
Society (SPIDS)
Contact Email:
Narima: [email protected]
SPIDS: [email protected]
Prolific offender kills Cloverdale man
By Lowell Jordan
I lost a close personal friend. Someone
I grew up with since elementary school.
His name was Colin Hill and he was shot
and killed on July 12, protecting his family
during a break-in at their Cloverdale home.
Twenty-two-year-old Khouri Lamar
Green, who has an extensive criminal
record and was on probation, has been
charged with second-degree murder in
connection with Colin’s death and will next
appear in court on Sept 14.
According to the records, he has been
charged over the years with break and
enter, resisting police, possession of stolen
property, and failing to comply with a court
sentence.
Does anyone out there ever get tired
of the line "He was well known to police?"
Can there be any greater action that
causes outrage to society than to break
into a man's home in the dead of night and
take his life in the presence of his family?
This is a clear case of a young man who
has no value for human life, and if as police
say he tried to break into an apartment in
Burnaby a couple of hours after Colin was
killed - clearly indicating he has no remorse
for this sick crime – no amount of prison
time will not be good enough for this guy.
Does anyone out there ever get
tired of the line "He was well
known to police?"
I really don’t think crime is just in
Surrey. We have seen acts of violence in
the Lower Mainland. But I think any kind of
violence that is so needless and senseless,
we have to take a strong look at the justice
system. One does have to question the
whole entire system and we have to ask
serious questions about prolific offenders.
I b e lieve Ca nadia n s have le s s
confidence in some functions of the
courts and corrections system, particularly
sentencing practices, providing justice
quickly, rehabilitating offenders and
releasing the right offenders at the right
time.
As people in Surrey grieve over yet
another tragedy, local politicians are calling
for more RCMP officers to be put on the
streets. One hundred have been promised
– but so far only six are in place.
Let’s make crime prevention an
important issue and topic. I have connected
to some politicians and they have assured
me that they have “redoubled” their efforts
Colin Hill and his family.
to eliminate crime. Let’s be sure they live
up to that.
Our current Surrey Mayor is advocating
for a better process federally in dealing
with prolific offenders and she will need
our support.
Nothing was more important to Colin
than his family and even in death he has
taught me about life. His final lesson was
to show that you would do anything for the
people you love, and that is exactly what
he did.
Rest in peace my dear friend, my hero.