Ball now at Cato’s court

That primary cause, whether true or not, would have to be investigated not only by the DFA but also by the Senate when it resumes session in November.

A letter addressed to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo is purportedly being circulated among Filipinos in Italy for their signatures to counter calls for the recall of the Philippines’ Consul General to Milan, Elmer Cato.

According to the letter, Cato had been subjected to a “vicious trial by publicity” by DAILY TRIBUNE over his “supposed inaction on the cases of fraud and illegal recruitment “brought” to his attention.

Our moles in Milan said the petition was the handiwork of the very person being defended by the letter amid a scam that defrauded Filipinos in Italy and the Philippines of hundreds of thousands of euros or millions of pesos.

The letter averred that those who called for the recall of Cato on the 1 October 2023 banner story of this paper did not represent the majority of Filipinos in Italy. Further, it claimed the official has their “full trust and support.”

Whatever the provenance of this letter, it is of little consequence because any petition falls within the rights of the people, in the same way that those who called for the ouster of Cato in that headline story were also exercising their freedom of speech.

The DAILY TRIBUNE, on the other hand, is only being true to its journalistic mandate to ventilate issues, especially when they concern alleged governmental shenanigans. Those who claim Cato is being subjected to a “trial by publicity” have little understanding of the role that the media play.

But are the issues being faced by the consulate a simple numbers game? Is it just a question of how many people would sign such a petition in favor of Cato over and above the so-called Alpha 400, many of whom have already issued sworn statements to authorities in the Philippines to recover money allegedly stolen from them by Alpha Assistenza SRL?

Cato’s supposed dereliction of duty raised by those Filipinos interviewed by this paper’s digital show Usapang OFW since 21 September, an accusation that would be repeated in succeeding shows, is only an effect of the primary cause being claimed by the complainants against the consul general.

That primary cause, whether true or not, would have to be investigated not only by the DFA but also by the Senate when it resumes session in November following calls by Senators Risa Hontiveros and Raffy Tulfo to probe Alpha Assistenza for the racket and the consulate for allegedly sitting on the complaints.

The gnawing concern by those who wanted Cato recalled was that his supposed closeness with the couple Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro had made it impossible for him to act on the complaints against them. That is until the complainants sought TRIBUNE’s help in exposing the scam.

According to some of the complainants and the person who created its website, Alpha Assistenza sponsored the consulate’s grand and lavish Independence Day celebration last 18 June that boasted a huge video wall. According to the website developer, Alpha contracted the video wall for 26,000 euros or about P1.5 million.

Money also allegedly changed hands from Alpha Assistenza to the consulate, something that must be thoroughly investigated by the authorities and the Senate to determine what it was for, if indeed money had been given and received.

The letter dated 2 October preceded a statement issued by the consulate last Thursday, which claimed that DAILY TRIBUNE had not reached out to get its side on the complaints raised by the Filipinos in Italy.

As stressed by writer Allan Hernandez, Usapang OFW had been in constant communication with Cato since 22 September, or a day after the complainants against Alpha Asssistenza and him guested in the digital show. The paper can provide screenshots of Usapang OFW’s conversations with the consul general if the latter would give his permission to release the same.

Aside from the personal messages, Usapang OFW hosts also had phone calls with Cato, including on 22 and 25 September, the latter as the show was assisting the complainants in filing their complaints before the Department of Migrant Workers. As things stand, the consulate’s claim that this paper had not reached out to Cato is an absolute falsity.

In those personal messages and phone calls, the consul general had wanted everything to be “off the record.” DAILY TRIBUNE has kept itself bound by the Data Privacy Act insofar as communications are concerned, as well as by the request by Cato that things be “kept off the record.”

Nonetheless, if only to show that the consulate had taken liberty with the truth in that statement, we are willing to have those communications be made public, again if Cato would agree to that.

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Credit belongs to: tribune.net.ph