Face Off Against A Tycoon
By Danilo Pacaña
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Danilo Pacaña
Smashwords Edition, License
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What people are saying about this crusade?
“I cannot and would not imagine the struggles you've been through. It can hardly be labeled as struggles....more on pain and hardships with this crusade you're doing. It's hard to be a Filipino nowadays...so very hard to be proud of being one. It's only because of people like you that tells one that... no......this country still has a chance. We can still redeem ourselves and I am with you in prayers and I do hope your book hits the stores on your birthday! That would be a lovely gift. Take care of yourself Sir. Don't give up on this ultimate fight of yours.
-Alice Robles, Philippines
“…Patriotism is an action word, not just a mere adjective. If the country had more warriors like you then we won't be so corrupt after all”
-Elaine Joy Co, Singapore
“I’m glad there's still someone like you doing the crusade. Please continue.”
-Marine Bongalosa, Spain
“…Your crusade is a rewarding adventure into the unknown and commendable. But it could be a thankless endeavor, maybe, even dangerous to your life and limb, and rather, quixotic. You're up against the great wall of China, Lucio Tan.....and the patron of the Philippine judiciary and legal establishment, Attorney Estelito Mendoza. I hope you'll succeed where others have failed.”
-Atty. Lope Lindio, USA
“…The Goliath within David...The secret Power Within..The Greatest Story Ever Told!”
-Arevalo Oliver, China
“…In order to stop massive corruption and tax evasion you need to work from top to bottom and not vice versa . Only then this main issue can be tackled with most positive outcome to revisit the ideals and aspirations of the Filipino heroes”
-Joeri Vertongen, Belgium
“… You are destined to be one of the significant "Whistle Blower" of the century …”
-Natividad Caperina-Francia,Philippines
“…I just admire anyone who is prepared to stand up and be counted regardless of the peril they may face….Brave stuff Danny”
-Geoffrey Bernard William Little, Australia
“Time runs so fast but justice runs so slow or never will. Life is too short but a big time corruption case is too long. They've got big eyes on small fry but blind on big fry. More power Dan, we're behind you on your journey.
-Lilly Samson Caccam, Italy
“…Your book is a modern Fili. Carry on with the good fight.”
-Atty. Catalino Generillo, Philippines
“If Lucio Tan enjoys his freedom to walk around free because of money and influence, you my dear friend are deserving of eternal gratitude from the people and your name will forever be remembered. It's the legacy to be remembered, the David who took down the ugly Goliath!”
-Marlene Damolo Howe, USA
“…At last Danny we're near light but the struggle is far from over until JUSTICE prevails! All the best, we're behind you.”
-Jun Paraguya, Dubai
“…Keep it up, Dan. Let's hope President Noynoy will do what he promised to do on economic monsters like Chinaman Lucio…”
–Elpidio Que, Philippines
“…I’m hoping for your success…”
-Virginia Casia Helgason, Iceland
“ …I haven’t forgotten a certain Danilo Pacana and what he is fighting for. If I were there, I think I would be a very devoted fan of your cause. I hope to influence the people here to get involved. More power to you!”
-Juanita Ruiz Suffel, Germany
“ …For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. ..”
-Keith Harcourt, Austria
“That is the way to go, BRAVERY and only speaking the whole truth and let the world read and know the whole truth behind Lucio Tan's closed door corrupted and demised business ideals! Good luck with your powerful book against a Tycoon.”
-Pilar Gilbert, USA
“ …I also think that our generation needs to hear, see, feel and listen to how people like you and your team can be used by our Almighty God to rebuke corruptions in the Philippines. I am going to share this to Canada and Fil - Canadians and will ask donations for your Book and you will be getting one from me too! I pray that God will give you all His strength and power to make this Book a legacy to all our Filipinos”
-Appoline Penaflor Aldea, Canada
…and more than 250 others!
CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CHAPTER 1
The Awakening
CHAPTER 2
Humble Beginnings
CHAPTER 3
Cutting The Umbilical Cord
CHAPTER 4
Carving A Destiny
CHAPTER 5
David vs. Goliath In The Modern Era
CHAPTER 6
Life After A Half-Won Battle
CHAPTER 7
David vs. Goliath In The Modern Era (Part II)
CHAPTER 8
Putting Back The Broken Pieces
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DANILO P. PACAÑA, a patriotic crusader, was the first Filipino who filed tax evasion charges against tycoon, Lucio C. Tan, the world’s 512th billionaire and 2nd richest man in the Philippines as of 2011, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Likewise, he was the only citizen who charged Tan and cohorts led by BIR Commissioner Jose Ong for criminal acts due to corruption with the Ombudsman and all the way to Sandiganbayan.
Single handedly, he faced Tan, represented by highly influential lawyer Atty. Estelito Mendoza (legal counsel of the high and mighty namely President Gloria Arroyo, President Joseph Estrada, First Lady Imelda Marcos and tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco), in a legal battle that spanned 15 years.
His advocacy for corporate integrity and good governance drove him to the labyrinth of massive corruption in the bureaucracy, which went all the way to the doors of Malacañang.
Danny served 2 of the top tycoons in the Philippines - Lucio Tan and Alfonso Yuchengco - as a management executive of their firms that belong to the top 10 banks and insurance companies in the country for 16 years.
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he was formerly Senior Audit Examiner of Far East Bank, Regional Audit Head of Allied Bank, Agency Manager of Prumerica Financial and Vice President -Marketing Operations Head of Grepalife in Vismin. Thereafter, he was hired as Consultant to Prumerica Financial and Grepalife after his employment stint.
As a Champion Agency Manager of Prumerica Financial, a multinational life insurance company, he received various corporate awards for management and sales excellence given during annual conventions in the USA, Hawaii, Greece, Thailand, Korea and Phils.
He landed 10th place among the CPA board examinees from Cebu in 1984 and topped the Officer Development Program in Allied Bank. During his youth, Danny received the Gerry Roxas Leadership Award.
Being a civic leader, he was awarded Most Outstanding Rotary Club President by Rotary International –District 3860 among almost a 100 clubs in Vismin during his stint as President of the Rotary Club of Cebu Midtown. He is Board Member of the Order of the Knights of Rizal-Cebu City Chapter with a rank of Knight Commander of Rizal.
Currently engaged in business consultancy, he is President/CEO of Noa Bizkonzult. A widower at 39, he is now happily married to the lovely Neperquin and blessed with 8 children and a son-in-law.
DEDICATION
To my first wife Cora (deceased), and current wife Perquin, my sons PJ, Mark, JR, King, Dane & Quin, daughters MC & Daphne, and son-in-law, John.
To my beloved Papa Pilo, Mama Salia and siblings.
To the Pacaña clan from whom I carried the banner of my identity.
To my best friend and mentor, Edwin Lopez, who stood by me despite my frailties.
To Dr. Jose Rizal and the rest of our heroes who concretized selfless love for our Motherland. To my country for whom this crusade was dedicated and anchored on all the way.
And most especially, to my Creator, who had always been the strongest and most reliable pillar to lean on especially in times of adversities along the perilous path and lonely journey towards my destiny.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am not a writer, so turning this dream book into reality was indeed a gigantic task. More than a year of 24/7 time spent in painstakingly writing this book would not have been made possible without the utmost support and encouragement of my wife Neperquin.
While my children may not have totally grasped the deeper meaning of what I had been doing due to my self- imposed isolation during those critical times, they never complained. Except for my angels, Quin, 9 and Daphne, 5, who demanded more time to play games in the computer.
To my children PJ and MC, who are connected with a US and Singaporean firm, respectively, for their sacrifices and generosity in providing financial assistance to the family and care for their siblings. To my son-in-law, John, who purchased the books of famous US corporate whistle blowers, Cynthia Cooper of Worldcom and Lynn Brewer of Enron, in the US which served as my guide and reference.
Despite her failing memory, my 88-year-old Mama Salia spent 3 days recalling and writing the details of her life with my late father, Papa Pilo, to complete my story. Indeed, she is my mother of perpetual help. To my eldest brother Dodong, who shared words of wisdom even in his hospital bed, and brother Ernie, who had been supportive with his caution for safety borne out of his expertise in police work.
To my amiga Natividad Francia who generously provided logistical support and selflessly went out of her way to make this publication a reality. My deep gratitude to the “Man of History,” Atty. Catalino Generillo, who selflessly did the legal review of the story to keep me away from possible legal suit.
To the most important person behind the scene, my ghost editor, who selflessly shared her valuable expertise to transform the presentation of my story into something that people can appreciate and understand. My deep gratitude to the artist, Camillus Allego Jr., who brilliantly captured the essence, as well as the labyrinth in the pursuit of this advocacy for truth and justice on the book cover.
To my fellow knight Sir Pedro Rosito, KGOR,who has always been there to provide support and listening ears to my endeavors. The expression of support by Sirs Pablo Trillana III and Reghis Romero, Supreme Commander and Deputy Supreme Commander, respectively, of the Order of Knights of Rizal for the sense of patriotism conveyed by this book, was a great motivation for me to move forward despite the gigantic challenges ahead.
My deep gratitude to media icon Professor Solita Monsod, who featured my crusade “A Whistleblower’s Story,” or mentioned my name in her column at Business World and Philippine Daily Inquirer. Likewise, to multi-awarded journalist, Ms. Sheila Coronel, for the side bar feature of my story “ A Whistleblower’s Tale,” in the PCIJ special expose of Lucio Tan’s influence with Pres. Joseph Estrada among others in 1999.
Special thanks to my friends Elpidio Que, Jun Paraguya, Marlene Howe, Estrelle Glaser, Marissa Langseth, Nida Dejano, Atty. Lope Lindio, Ronnie Ling, Pascual Rubia, Gina Aranas, Fe Pacaña, Joji Magno, Francis Soquite and many others who opted for anonymity, for their valuable logistical support and motivation.
I am much grateful to a newly found friend, Grace Grandlund, who shared insights on the nitty-gritty of E-book publication, and thus, opened my eyes to an out-of-the-box strategy. To Father Arnie who had been sharing spiritual messages and encouragement to keep me going despite the gigantic challenges along the way.
Those who wholeheartedly shared words of inspiration and sympathy with this advocacy for justice and good governance, my deep gratitude.
To my 1,244 and still counting Facebook friends, including President Noynoy Aquino, who “like” the fan page created for this book even if it has not yet been published. My sincerest thanks to those who already made book reservations and are eagerly waiting for its publication. Of course, my gratitude to Facebook for providing the platform for me to establish networks and linkages with the world.
All of these will not be possible without the graces of the Lord Almighty. My faith in Him had been the strongest pillar and bastion of courage that made me face the gargantuan adversities and challenges in this journey of no return. To God be the glory!
CHAPTER I
The Awakening
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent
about things that matter
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Despite warnings from the military and pro-Marcos groups, and even by the dictator’s wife, Imelda, not to return to the Philippines, Ninoy Aquino decided to go back to his homeland no matter what. Asked what he thought of the death threats, Aquino merely smiled and replied, “ The Filipino is worth dying for.”
True to his words, Aquino died for his country. After 3 years of exile in the US as political nemesis of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, he fulfilled his promise to come back for good. On August 21, 1983, he fell from an assassin’s bullets while disembarking from a commercial flight at the then Manila International Airport (now named Ninoy Aquino International Airport) despite being escorted by a phalanx of military personnel. Many of his co-passengers screamed and cried in utter disbelief of such brutality happening in broad daylight, right in their very own eyes.
The entire Filipino people were shocked and outraged. Fingers pointed at the Marcos regime as the culprit, a conspiracy of people in power out to curtail real freedom amongst the people by whatever means. Millions of people mourned Aquino’s death and his funeral remains unprecedented in the history of the country.
That incident triggered the awakening of the people from deep slumber and political hibernation, thus, the birth of civil disobedience in whatever form. Consequently, the country went into the brink of bankruptcy, which ultimately, shook the foundation of the Marcos regime. Feeling the intense pressure here and abroad, Pres. Marcos was constrained to call for a snap election on February 7, 1986.
Ninoy’s widow, Corazon, reluctantly ran against Marcos for the presidency and was leading in the canvassing of votes based on the figures from the National Movement for Free Elections, a citizen’s watchdog. But the election results were manipulated in favor of Marcos, who was proclaimed the winner on February 15, 1986 by the Commission on Elections and the Batasang Pambansa, the Congress that was controlled by Marcos.
The Filipinos were outraged. To show indignation, the people boycotted the businesses of Marcos’ cronies like banks, big corporations and even media, which led to the plummeting of their shares in the stock market to record levels.
Appalled by the apparent election irregularities, Juan Ponce Enrile, then Minister of National Defense, and some military officials tried to set in motion a coup attempt against Pres. Marcos, something they had been planning for some time. However, after Marcos learned about the plot, he ordered the leaders’ arrest.
Threatened with their impending arrest, Enrile and his fellow coup plotters decided to ask help from the AFP Vice Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos, who was also the chief of the Phil. Constabulary. Ramos agreed to resign from his position and support the plotters. Enrile also contacted the highly influential Catholic Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, for his support.
At about 6:30pm on February 22, Enrile and Ramos held a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo, where they announced that they had resigned from their positions in the Marcos cabinet and were withdrawing support for his government. Pres. Marcos later conducted his own news conference calling on Enrile and Ramos to surrender, urging them to “stop this stupidity.”
At about 9pm, in a message aired over Radio Veritas, Cardinal Sin exhorted the Filipinos to come to the aid of the rebel leaders by going to EDSA, between Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo, and give moral support, food and other supplies needed. For many, this seemed to be an unwise decision since civilians would not stand a chance against dispersals by government troops. Nevertheless, many people, especially priests and nuns, trooped to EDSA.
Radio Veritas played a critical role during the mass uprising. Former University of the Philippines President Francisco Nemenzo said, “Without Radio Veritas, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to mobilize millions of people in a matter of hours. In fact, it was our umbilical cord to whatever else was going on.”
At dawn Sunday, government troops arrived to knock down the main transmitter of Radio Veritas, cutting off broadcasts to people in the province. The station switched to standby transmitter with a limited range of broadcast. The station was targeted because it had proven to be a valuable communications tool for the people supporting the rebels. It was the main source of keeping them informed of the movement of government troops and for relaying requests for food, medicine and supplies.
People from all walks of life came to EDSA until the crowd swelled to hundreds of thousands of unarmed civilians. The mood in the streets was actually festive with many bringing their own families. Performers entertained the crowds, nuns and priest led prayer vigils, while others set up barricades and make shift sandbags and lined up vehicles in strategic places along EDSA and intersections like Santolan and Ortigas Avenue.
Everywhere, people listened to Radio Veritas. Several groups emotionally sang “Bayan Ko” (My Homeland) which, since after the death of Aquino, had become a patriotic anthem of the opposition. The “laban” (fight) sign, done by forming an L with the thumb and the index finger, became the trademark of the opposition.
Shortly after noon on Feb. 23, Enrile and Ramos decided to consolidate their position. Enrile’s group crossed EDSA from Camp Aguinaldo to Camp Crame amidst cheers from the crowd. In the mid-afternoon, Radio Veritas relayed reports of marines massing near the camps in the east and tanks approaching from north and south.
A contingent of marines with tanks and armored vans led by Gen. Artemio Tadiar, was stopped along Ortigas Avenue, about 2 kilometers from the camps, by tens of thousands of people. Nuns holding rosaries knelt in front of the tanks, while men and women linked their arms together to block the troops. Gen. Tadiar asked the crowd to make a clearing for them, but they did not budge. In the end, the troops retreated with no shots fired.
By evening, the standby transmitter of Radio Veritas failed. Shortly after midnight, the staff was able to go to another station to begin broadcasting from a secret location under the moniker “Radio Bandido”(Bandit Radio). Media personality June Keithley, along with Angelo Castro, continued Radio Veritas’ program throughout the night and in the remaining days.
At dawn on Monday, Feb. 24, the first serious encounter with government troops occurred. Marines marching from Libis, in the east, lobbed tear gas at the demonstrators, who quickly dispersed. Some 3,000 marines then entered and held the east side of Camp Aguinaldo.
Later, helicopters manned by the 15th Strike Wing of the Phil. Air force led by Col. Antonio Sotelo were ordered to head to Camp Crame from Sangley Point (South of Manila). The squadron had secretly defected and, instead of attacking Camp Crame, landed in the campgrounds and supported the people. Crowds cheered and hugged the pilots and crewmembers. A Bell 214 helicopter piloted by Major Deo Cruz of the 205th Helicopter Wing joined the rebel squadron earlier in the air. The presence of the helicopters boosted the morale of Enrile and Ramos’ group, who had been continually encouraging their fellow soldiers to join the opposition movement.
In the afternoon, Mrs. Aquino arrived at the base where Enrile, Ramos and officers and members of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement were waiting.
At around that time, Ms. Keithly received reports that Pres. Marcos had left Malacañang Palace and announced this to the people at EDSA. The crowd celebrated and Enrile and Ramos came out of Camp Crame. The jubilation was, however, short lived as Pres. Marcos later appeared in a government controlled television, Channel 4, declaring that he would not step down. It was thereafter speculated that the false report was a calculated move against Pres. Marcos to encourage more defectors.
During this broadcast, Channel 4 suddenly went off the air. A contingent of rebels under Col. Mariano Santiago had captured the station. Shortly thereafter, Channel 4 was put back on the air, with a voice declaring, “This is Channel 4, serving the people again.” The people who were manning the broadcast were the likes of June Keithley, Fr. Aris Sison, Fr. Efren Datu, Fr. Bong Bongayan , Jose Mari Velez, Orly Punzalan and the programs were directed by Johnny Manahan.
In the late afternoon, rebel helicopters attacked Villamor Airbase destroying presidential air assets. Another helicopter went to Malacañang, fired a rocket and caused minor damage.
This was then followed by the defection of most of the officers who graduated from the Phil. Military Academy. The majority of the Armed Forces had already changed sides.
On the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 25, at around 7am, a minor clash occurred between loyal government troops and the reformists. Snipers stationed atop the government-owned Channel 9 tower began shooting at the reformists. Many rebel soldiers surged to the station.
Later that morning, Corazon Aquino was inaugurated President of the Philippines in a simple ceremony at Club Filipino in Greenhills, about a kilometer from Camp Crame. She was sworn in as President by Senior Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee. Her runningmate in the elections, Salvador Laurel, was sworn in as Vice President by Justice Vicente Abad Santos. The Bible on which Mrs. Aquino swore her oath was held by Aurora Aquino, the mother of Ninoy.
Ramos, who was then promoted to 4 star general, Enrile and many politicians attended the oath taking ceremonies. Outside Club Filipino and all the way to EDSA, hundreds of people cheered and celebrated. Bayan Ko, the national anthem of protest, was sung after Mrs. Aquino’s oath taking. Many people wore yellow, the color of her campaign for the Presidency.
An hour after, Pres. Marcos also had his own inauguration in Malacañang. Loyalists attended the ceremony shouting “Marcos, Marcos, Marcos pa rin.” At the palace balcony, Marcos took his oath as President. None of the invited foreign dignitaries attended the ceremony for security reasons (although Moscow sent a congratulatory message). The Marcos couple and family stepped out in the balcony of the palace in front of around 3,000 loyalists who were shouting to Pres. Marcos “Capture the snakes.” First Lady Imelda sang Dahil Sa Iyo (Because of You), the couple’s theme song, rather tearfully.
After the inauguration, the Marcos family and their close associates hurriedly left the Palace. The broadcast of the event, over TV stations 13 and 7, were also cut off as rebel troops successfully captured one of the stations.
By this time, hundreds of people had amassed at the barricades along Mendiola, only a hundred meters from Malacañang. They were prevented from storming the palace by loyal government troops securing the area.
At 3pm, Monday (US time), Pres. Marcos talked to US Senator Paul Laxalt asking for advice from the White House. Sen. Laxalt advised him to “Cut, and cut cleanly,” much to the disappointment of Marcos.
In the afternoon, Pres. Marcos talked to Enrile asking for safe passage for him, his family and his close allies like Gen. Ver. Finally, at 9pm, the Marcos family was transported by 4 US Navy helicopters to Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga, about 83 kilometers north of Manila, before boarding US Air Force-130 planes bound for Anderson Air Base in Guam, and finally to Hickam Air Base in Hawaii.
When the news of Pres. Marcos’ departure reached the people, the entire nation rejoiced. Over at Mendiola, the demonstrators were finally able to enter Malacañang Palace, which has long been denied to the Filipinos in the past decade. Looting by overly angry protesters occurred, but mostly, people wandered inside looking at the place, where all the decisions that changed the course of Phil. history had been made.
The world congratulated and admired the entire Filipino nation, which finally regained their lost pride and sense of identity. Bob Simon, an anchorman at CBS said, “ We Americans like to think we taught the Filipinos democracy. Well, tonight they are teaching the world.”
In a speech before the United States Congress 7 months after her inauguration, Pres. Corazon Aquino said, “ Ours must have been the cheapest revolution ever!”
CHAPTER 2
Humble Beginnings
My father, Teofilo Abelgas Pacaña, whom I fondly call Papa Pilo, was a descendant of a local revolutionary hero named, Jacinto Pacaña.
Jacinto Pacaña, an ex-Kapitan and a prominent figure in the San Nicolas community, was one of the organizing members of the local chapter of the Katipunan, which was headed by Pantaleon Villegas a.k.a. Leon Kilat. Jacinto had a big house made of wood (tisa) in Labangon, a district in the southern part of the city, where meetings of the rebels were secretly held. The house was eventually converted into a general headquarters and served as infirmary for wounded combatants. His main role was to supply weapons to the members of the group.
On April 3, 1898, Leon Kilat and his group launched the first uprising against the abusive Spanish regime in the province of Cebu, the Battle of Tres de Abril. Leon Kilat was known to have an amulet, a handkerchief with corrupted Latin and Spanish words on it, which, people believed, can make him invisible from enemies and invincible against firearms and bladed weapons.
In the afternoon of April 3, which was a Sunday, at the intersection of Tres de Abril and V. Rama streets, the first encounter erupted. While the locals only had bolos (bladed weapon) against the rifles of the Spanish soldiers, both camps engaged in a fierce battle leaving several wounded and dead combatants on both sides.
The Spaniards, led by Capt. Monfort, later fled to their headquarters at Fort San Pedro where Gen. Montero was waiting. While charging, the locals shouted “Viva Katipunan! Viva Filipinas!” but the Spaniards on the retreat shouted back “Viva España,” to save face and show that they were not yet beaten.
With the seized rifles from the retreating Spanish forces, the locals gained more weapons, which renewed their confidence to win the war. The victory and control over the city, was however short-lived and lasted only for 3 days.
By early morning of April 7, a reinforcement of Spanish troops headed by Gen. Celestino Tejeiro arrived from Manila aboard a chartered merchant streamer, Churruca. Immediately thereafter, General Montero and Tejeiro planned massive counter attack. Poorly armed and devoid of firepower against the heavily armed Spanish forces, the Katipuneros were forced to retreat to different areas in the countryside.
In the dawn of April 8, which happened to be Good Friday, Jacinto, together with the wife of Candido Padilla and Eugenio Gines escaped from Labangon. The group went directly to Jacinto’s farm in Barrio Bukawe then transferred to another corn barn in Biasong where Pedro Abarca joined them. The Spanish General, Montero, had dangled a P500 reward, a sizeable amount at that time, for the head of each of the three.
Later, Jacinto and his sons, Felipe and Dalmacio, and others joined the Tabal family in the mountains of Sudlon where they continued their crusade against the Spanish troops using guerilla tactics. There, Jacinto got in touch with other leaders of the revolutionaries using trusted couriers, which led to the regrouping of around 300 Katipuneros now led by Arcadio Maxilom and Luis Flores. It was in the Sudlon mountains, west of the city, that the Katipuneros were finally able to regroup and consolidate their forces against the enemy.
The skirmishes against the Spanish forces in various parts of the countryside (Bitlang, Sudlon, Talamban, Tuburan, Liloan,etc.) continued from time to time with the locals mostly gaining the upper hand applying guerilla warfare. The Cebuano heroes stood their ground until mid-morning of December 24, when the Spanish forces vacated Cebu for good.
The year 1898 was the best and most memorable Christmas ever for the Cebuanos. It was a God sent miracle for them to be completely freed from the bondage of oppression suffered for centuries from the Spanish colonial yoke. In a letter addressed to the new revolutionary government of Cebu, the brains of the Phil. Revolution, Apolinario Mabini, enjoined them to “prevent and repel all foreign invasion at whatever sacrifices.”
My Papa Pilo is the 2nd to the youngest of a brood of 5 of Lolo Guillermo Pacaña and Lola Cerila Abelgas Pacaña. Lolo belonged to the prominent Pacaña clan, original settlers of Tisa, while Lola hailed from nearby, Punta Princesa, a descendant of the Abelgas clan. In 1937, before the outbreak of the 2nd World War in the country, Papa Pilo worked as a young assistant to a dentist who had a clinic in the remote seaside barrio of Biasong in San Remigio, a sleepy small town north of Cebu City.
My mother, fondly called Inday Saling, was a 14-year-old beauty queen and only daughter of a prominent couple in Biasong. She caught the fancy of my father, who, at the age of 26, boldly asked for her hand in marriage from Lolo Moises Pitogo and Lola Isay Yray Pitogo, migrants from Liloan, Cebu, a town north of Cebu City around 100 kilometers from San Remegio.
A few months after my parent’s wedding in 1941, came the Japanese invaders. For survival, the couple went into crude soap making and distributed their products by small boat to nearby islands. It was in Tudela, Camotes island where my parents decided to stay. Papa worked as an elementary school teacher for years until the end of the war.
In 1944, when peacetime came, my parents decided to move to Cebu City bringing their first born, Dodong. Thereafter, Papa landed a job at the City Hall as a clerk and was later promoted as the secretary of Mayor Rafiñan. Mama got a job as market collector in Taboan, but eventually stopped to manage a small store at the ground floor of their 2-storey house in Tisa.
While working, Papa finished his studies in Bachelor of Arts at the Colegio de San Jose Recoletos and pursued schooling in the College of Law at the University of the Visayas. As a student leader, being president of the Supreme Student Council and an eloquent debater, Papa became a popular figure in the campus.
Papa once shared that Gloria Sevilla, a beautiful schoolmate who eventually became a famous movie star in the country, was the subject of jealousy by my mother while I was inside her womb. Mama frequently nagged Papa about her and ordered him to go home immediately after classes. He said that he eventually decided to quit law school out of disgust.
“That’s why I want you to become a lawyer someday,” he told me.
To this day, I still bear the guilt of having failed Papa’s wishes. Likewise, the frustration of not having sustained the burning passion inside me to become a legal luminary keeps on haunting me. At 55, it is no longer practical to pursue it.
While I took up Law at the University of San Carlos for a while in 1998, I also quit for good because I was afflicted with chickenpox, causing me to be absent from classes for 3 weeks. I had a hard time catching up with my lessons since I was also working as a bank manager at that time.
Like my Papa, I was left with no option but to hope that one of my 8 children, most likely Marc Quin Daniel, will eventually fulfill this wish someday.
Our house in Tisa was squatting on a 400-square meter lot owned by the Borromeos, who had a big chunk of property in that area. Papa became a trusted collector of the lot rentals. Then came a twist in the family’s destiny.
Doña Salud Borromeo, who we fondly call Doña Saling, a major stockholder of the Borromeo Bros. Estate Inc., offered Papa a job as farm manager of their hacienda (more than 1,000 ha.) in San Isidro, Leyte. The offer was very tempting since the compensation package included an attractive start up salary, profit sharing, free house and lot and business opportunity. The job was also very challenging.
Confident of his abilities, Papa, in 1956, quit his government job of 10 years and boarded a dilapidated boat with the entire family. I was just a fragile infant of less than 1 year when we headed to San Isidro, Leyte, the land of promise.
I grew up in the sleepy town of San Isidro, a 5th class agricultural municipality of less than 20,000 people bounded by 19 barrios with coconut, corn, tobacco and rice as the main produce. At that time, large tracts of land were owned by few hacienderos, usually called Señor or Senora. The economy was primarily controlled by Chinese traders.
I was thin and sickly during my tender years. Good that Dr. Medalla, the town’s amiable physician, was always around to provide the valuable care whenever health concerns came. While I dread dental problems, these became my passage to ride the only boat (Erlinda) to Cebu City for treatment. After which, watching movies and dining in Chinese restaurants with ice cream for dessert were something I eagerly look forward to. I also couldn’t help getting mesmerized watching the flashing neon lights at night in the Queen City of the South on board a taxicab.
My childhood days were fun because of a dear friend, Rolly, son of Manoy Teryo, a driver who worked for my father. We would go swimming, hunting, fishing and play games. Rolly was my classmate all the way to high school, and I was saddened to hear many decades later that he died in an encounter against the rebels while serving the Philippine Army in Mindanao.
I had my primary schooling at San Isidro Elementary School, a public school. Our classes were held at the old Gabaldon building beside a huge concrete water tank that supplies the town’s water needs. I remember when I was in Grade 2, I hid at the basement of the building, cowering in fear to evade the bakuna (vaccination) session held in our classroom. I dreaded injections but could not escape them because my teacher would always find me.
One of the things I learned in primary school was to declaim, thanks to Papa Pilo. Weeks before the commencement exercises, Papa Pilo taught me The Dream of Dr. Jose Rizal.
“ I have seen your face, drifting over the clouds
Your look exudes sincerity and passion, but full of
heartaches
My youthful thought is bewildered
Brought about by your deep sadness
You even savored the sweetness of death
Just to regain our lost freedom
But where? where are you my young comrades
The hope of our Fatherland
Let us reach out to peace and progress
For these are the aspirations and dreams of our hero.”
Papa Pilo taught me to memorize and deliver phrases first, then stanzas, and eventually the whole poem. When I was finally able to deliver the poem with the correct diction, enunciation and facial expression, I got a 10 centavo coin as a reward, which I spent for sugar coated tamarind balls, chocolates, rubber bands and a few marbles at Manoy Mildo Villarino’s store. I felt very rich then with the things that I bought, plus, my five-centavo change!
I delivered the piece during the commencement exercises. I looked handsome in my white long sleeves with black bow tie, white long pants and polished black shoes, which Mama Salia bought from Koya’s store across our house. My heart was pounding when I was called to the stage to deliver the declamation piece. The crowd was overwhelming but I delivered the piece beautifully and my papa’s proud smile and applause was a confirmation that I did well.
I started to pick up academically in Grade 3 under Ms. Tumamak. As I looked back, I came to believe that maybe, my topping the class was partly due to her appreciation of the little extra curricular activities I did for her, which made me her favorite student.
I am forever grateful for Mr. Lagutan, who made me master the multiplication table; Mr. Cabaluna, for his expertise in gardening; and Mr. Bario, who patiently taught me how to weave coconut baskets. In Grade 4 and 5, under Messrs. Cuervo and Flores, respectively, I always made it to the top 4. Graduating from Grade 6 under Mr. Fabile, I came out 3rd honor and got a stretchable and magnetic belt graduation gift from my teacher.
One of the scariest memories I had at this age happened one December when the town was enveloped in terror. Deafening sounds of gunfire woke us up at past 2 in the morning. I clearly remember hearing sounds of “Where’s the money,” and cries for help coming from the house of Chinese businessman Koya.
My family and our helpers crawled slowly toward the concrete medical clinic at the back of our house, even if blinded by darkness. There, we were cramped inside the stock room still hearing the ferocious shouts of men, cries of women and staccato of gunfire every now and then.
All of us trembled in fear and the women cried especially that Papa was not with us. Forcing myself to act like a little brave man, I slipped my skinny hand into my pocket and pulled out a small knife called mais mais (corn shaped) and whispered to our female helper,
“Don’t be afraid. I will protect you,” and showed my knife despite my quivering voice.”
I realized later that I peed on my pants. We then hear successive sounds of gunfire and then an eerie silence. I then heard a pump boat engine running and slowly fading away.
Daybreak came and residents started coming out of their hiding places. Each had their own version of what happened. A handful of policemen came and talked to the male townsfolk, who also carried firearms. I was very proud seeing Papa amongst the crowd, with his 22 caliber semi-automatic rifle and 38 revolver in a shiny brown holster tucked to his waist.
We later learned that the group was headed by Falconi, a notorious bandit terrorizing some seaside towns in Cebu and Leyte. They were able to rob a sizeable amount of cash from Koya, and later used his eldest son, Isyong, as guide in robbing another rich Chinese trader, Owa, whose house was just few blocks away from our place. A sack full of coins was later recovered at a canal near the old Gabaldon school building. It was believed that the bandits intentionally left it for convenience after they were able to get a sizeable amount of cash from Owa.
Although not confirmed, there were rumors that some women were raped during that time. There were rumors too, that the bandits had contacts and connived with some personalities from the town for a share of the loot.
High school days was at John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation School, a private school established by Dr. Nick Balmoria, a practicing doctor in the US and brother of Tatay Milyan. Like a typical teenager, I had my first fling and taste of tuba (local wine) or Tanduay rum with some classmates, occasionally getting drunk during parties.
With a love letter scribbled on a perfumed bond paper, I requested my charming and amiable friend Ofelia to hand over the letter to the apple of my eye, Briori , a long haired, fair skinned beauty from the nearby barrio of Bakyad. They were my junior in school. Unexpectedly, I ended having both of them as my girlfriends at the same time, even though I was skinny and had a pimple laden face.
I was very charismatic during my younger years. Once, in 3rd year, I ran for president of the Supreme Student Council. To campaign for the position, I wooed the students with my rendition of Sealed with a Kiss, using a brand new and shiny red Beatles inspired guitar which my father bought from Cebu City. Then, I invited my audience to Manang Karya’s eatery across the school for free snacks of landang (native porridge). My father, who was my political mentor and financier, made sure that I had enough logistics.
But my venture into school politics failed as I lost by a mile to a more deserving candidate, Alberto Jalipot, a soft spoken but responsible classmate 4 years my senior. The following year, I run again and was lucky to become Vice President.
I was very active in school programs whether it be dancing or portraying roles of a king or a lawyer. In fact, I got an award for Best in Dramatics. Acting like a lawyer was my comfort zone. I so deeply wanted to become one, driven with the passion to protect my family’s legal rights and the rights of the oppressed, as well.
I humbly doff my hat and will forever be grateful to all my teachers - Mrs. Pacaña (my sister in law), Ms. Valmores, Ms. Nirza, Mrs. Cuyos, Mr. and Mrs Yucot, Mr Pontejos, Mr. Larada, Mr and Mrs. Merelos , Mr. Riñen and Mrs. Florentina Riñen, the school principal - for their generosity in sharing their gift of knowledge and valuable wisdom to me.
In 1971, I graduated Salutatorian. Fe Bahay, a highly intelligent classmate, was the Valedictorian while an equally bright friend, Edgardo Corton placed 3rd honor.
I valued most the Gerry Roxas Leadership Gold medal bestowed upon me, the selection of which was based on academic achievements and leadership abilities. It was supposed to be my passport for full scholarship at the tertiary level sponsored by the Gerry Roxas Foundation, created in honor of the late Senator Gerry Roxas, the father of Mar Roxas who is currently cabinet secretary of the present administration.
I headed to Cebu to take the qualifying exams. There were around 300 awardees all over the Visayas region who took the qualifying exams for a scholarship at the Colegio de San Jose Recoletos. I passed the exams but only the top 3 would be given the scholarship. Unfortunately I did not make it to the top.
Papa served the Borromeos for full 31 years until he died in 1986 and I really admire him for his loyalty. Whenever I visit my hometown, usually during the fiesta in May, I could not help but beam with pride and admiration of Papa who was mainly responsible for planting the now fully grown coconut trees, refreshingly shading and greening the periphery of the town proper and the mountains at the sides of San Isidro bay.
Papa was also into politics. He was once a political leader of Senator Mariano Cuenco in Cebu. When we moved to Leyte, despite his tedious job, he found time to serve the community as Councilor undefeated for years. He was a diehard Liberal Party leader and a fiery campaign speaker. I remembered him walking closely beside fellow Cebuano, Senator Sergio Osmeña Jr, who ran as president of the country in 1969. My Papa Pilo and Mama Salia even escorted Senator Osmeña during campaign sorties from our town, then Tabango, Villaba all the way to Palompon.
Papa Pilo was one of the most respected lawmakers in town, but politics is indeed dirty. Having a large following as an oppositionist, we experienced being terrorized by goons in our restaurant backed up by powerful politicians which almost cost the life of my brother, Ernie. In fact, there was an attempt to assassinate Papa Pilo. It was by divine providence that the gun used by the goon misfired during the attempt, and my father escaped death by a hairline. Our house sometimes became a target for strafing and direct harassment to scare and force us to go back to Cebu. As protective measure, Papa had a Philippine Constabulary member guarding him, assisted by civilian bodyguards. In fact, he had the house double walled, filled with gravel and sand inside to secure us.
Despite our family’s influence and my Mama’s entrepreneurial skills, it was really a wonder for me why we never became rich. We had several small businesses like sari-sari store, drug store, restaurant, barber shop, tailoring, pension house, pump boat, wooden boats used to haul sea stones and sand for construction, piggery etc. We even had the first tricycle in town powered by a 50cc Honda engine, named Tres Marias, named after sisters Cindy, Minnie and Letty.
We were 8 in the family and all of us were sent to college in private schools either in Cebu, Manila and even far away Bukidnon. That must have cost us a fortune. I have come to the conclusion that we never got rich because the family was a “jack of all trades, master of none.” I later on learned that we even had to borrow money from a family friend, Don Paeng, or from my uncle, Tiyo Taying, in case of liquidity problem.
When I became a banker and saw the titles of our real estate properties, the back portions were peppered with loan annotations from either the Philippine National Bank or Rural Bank of Villaba covering various dates. Mama later on confided that she insisted on me taking up Accountancy because she admired the bankers she was frequently dealing with.
My eldest brother, Dodong, a chemical engineer who graduated Magna Cum Laude, King of Engineers at the Cebu Institute of Technology and 4th placer in the Board exams, would oftentimes provide financial help.
One of the tragedies that the family had to deal with was the death of an elder brother, Pepe, who was 17 years old at that time. He committed suicide by taking a poisonous chemical. Pepe was a tall good-looking teenager but he sometimes acted weird and was very shy. He was very smart and topped his class despite frequent absences. He was also an excellent caricaturist and made a comic book out of the wooden walls at the ground floor of our house in Tisa at age 10.
It was during Pepe’s death when I saw Papa crying and sobbing in anguish alone inside my parent’s room, but he quickly wiped his tears when he came out. Pepe was buried in a tomb that was specially made for him on top of a hill overlooking the town’s bay, beside the main cemetery.
It had been my desire to visit his tomb whenever I find time to visit our hometown, but I always forget to do so probably because I’m usually there during fiesta for fun and celebration time. I was finally able to visit his tomb last October 2010 together with siblings, Ernie and Bebe, when we had visitation with Mama Salia who just recovered after being hospitalized.
Between my parents, I dread Papa most. Whenever I commit a grave mistake, Papa punishes me physically and this has kept me from committing the same mistake again. But I love both of them and admire them for doing their best to provide us good future. Being a parent myself, I must admit that I pale in comparison to the way my parents brought my siblings and me up. They worked very hard to give us good education and values, unmindful of their personal needs.
By God’s grace, all 7 of us became professionals and had laminated college diplomas lined up and displayed at the guest area until now. Not satisfied, Papa also put up a wooden signage on the wall outside the house bearing our names and profession.
I am eternally grateful to Papa and Mama, the epitome of parental care and guidance, who richly deserve to be treasured and cherished for a life time.
May of 1971, I enrolled at the University of San Carlos, a prestigious Catholic school in Cebu City run by SVD priests under the Bachelor of Science in Commerce, major in Accountancy program. I was admitted under partial scholarship in view of my being Salutatorian in high school.
I made many friends in school most of whom hailed from the province like me. My stay in the city became enjoyable with no parents around to monitor my whereabouts. I often partied with my friends and skipped classes. I wanted to join a fraternity but did not have the guts at first, knowing the hardships of initiations. When I finally had the courage to join one in 1972, President Marcos declared Martial Law and fraternities were no longer allowed.
The Martial Law years was a nightmare, especially for us young people back then since 12 midnight curfew was imposed. It meant no night outs with my friends or we would end up arrested and made to clean prison toilets as punishment. There were a lot of times when, trying to beat the curfew and get home, we were pursued by police patrols. This turned out to be a blessing as my school grades improved a lot to the satisfaction of my parents.
While I majored in Accounting, it was quite ironical that I was doing good in Law and Taxation. My grades in major subjects turned out to be a disappointment, usually just a little bit above passing grade. Frankly speaking, I never did have any love for mathematics but I could not say no to Mama who insisted that I become a Certified Public Accountant first, before taking up Law. My plan then was just to pass Accounting subjects to fulfill Mama’s wishes.
May of 1974, my eldest brother Dodong, who had a good job as Superintendent in the plant of Planters Products Inc. in Bataan, urged me to enroll at La Salle University in Manila.
“ Since your classmates there are children of owners or top executives of big corporations, it would be easy for you to land a good job thru your connections,” Dodong explained.
I did enroll in La Salle but backed out when the Dean told me that I needed to take some back subjects, which would delay my graduation by 1 semester. I hurried back to Cebu to catch up with the ongoing enrolment and graduated a year after, March 1975 at 20.
For over a month, I had a grand vacation back home in the province, until I was off to carve my destiny in the capital, Manila.
CHAPTER 3
Cutting The Umbilical Cord
I arrived in Manila around 3rd week of April 1975 eager to start applying for work. My brother, Dodong, gave me a book containing instructions on how to take IQ tests with sample exams. I spent a whole week practicing the exams over and over again. Initially, the results were barely enough to pass, but this kept improving to perfection as I seemed to have memorized already the test questions and answers especially the abstract. Beaming with pride, I showed my scores to Dodong and he said I was ready to apply for work. His advice was to buy newspapers everyday and check the ads for vacancies.
“Give preference to firms located in Makati,” he said.
Early the following week, I sent out about a dozen application letters attached with reproduced copies of my Transcript of Records. Good that the Post Office was just a walking distance from our apartment.
A few weeks went by without any word from the companies I have sent my application to, until the first week of May when I received a telegram from John Clements Consultants advising me to report to their office in Makati for interview the following day. I felt like I won the sweepstakes.
There were about 10 of us who came for the interview. My interview went well, with the interviewer taking notice of my low grades in major subjects, a sharp contrast with the high ratings in the minor ones. I explained that I was just forced into taking up Accountancy because of my mother and really wanted to take up Law. My explanation must have been enough because I was told to come back the next day for an exam. The exam went well, too, although I was really nervous while taking it. Again, I must have done good because I was told to come back the next day for a physical exam. And the rest is history. I got my first job.
It was only when I reported for work that I realized that John Clements Consultants was a manpower agency because I was told to report to Mr. Roberto Nucom, the Accounting Manager of Delsa Industrial Corporation, the manufacturer of Kawasaki motorcycles, a joint venture between Kawasaki of Japan and Del Rosario family, also co-owner of National Panasonic television. I was an accounting clerk with a monthly salary of P350 monthly.
May 1975, two months after my 20th birthday, I received my first pay check. I bought a brand new cushion bed, Sleep Rite, with the additional money I borrowed from Dodong payable on installment every payday. Whatever extra money I got was used to buy personal needs like shoes, pants, belt, long sleeves, underwear, socks, perfume and other accessories.
I handled the billing of motorcycles sold to distributors nationwide as well as Accounts Receivable bookkeeping. There was a time when my books had a discrepancy of 1 centavo, which took me the whole day trying to trace the error, but still failed to account for it. The following day I was constrained to manipulate the entries to balance the books out of fear this might come to the attention of my Supervisor, especially that we were subjected to an examination by the external auditor, Sycip, Gorres and Velayo, at that time.
The General Manager of the company was a Japanese, Mr. Kobayashi, representing the stock ownership of Kawasaki Japan. He was humble, amiable and was like a father to us.
In November 1975, I boosted my career after landing a job with Far East Bank and Trust Company, the 3rd largest bank in the country. I started as Junior Internal Auditor, based in the head office in Muralla, Intramuros, Manila.
This came about after hurdling a series of comprehensive interviews and IQ examinations containing lengthy and complicated questions. I was passed on from one interviewer to another, mostly top officers of the bank including Sonny Coloma, now cabinet secretary of President Noynoy Aquino. Then, I underwent a 1 day written psychological examination, which bored me with a series of repetitive questions.
There were more than 15 of us at the start who had gone through the process, many of whom graduated from prestigious universities in Manila. But we became fewer and fewer until there were only 2 of us left. He was Luis Bilbao, an amiable Spanish-Filipino guy from La Salle. I came to know later he was the younger brother of Mike Bilbao, a basketball superstar at that time. We became friends and I had the privilege of catching a ride from him on my way home after work, and even had the chance to visit his huge house in Dasmariñas Village, a plush subdivision in Makati.
It is also worth mentioning that a family friend in Leyte, Jimmy Darantinao, who was then a middle executive in the bank, was a big help in providing me a credible reference, which was then a requirement in the hiring process.
In the bank, the culture was totally of different landscape vis-à-vis the previous company I first worked with. People there were classy, dressed in expensive office attire and conversed in Taglish (combination of English and Tagalog) most of the time. I felt a bit comfortable as I found it more difficult to communicate in straight Tagalog, with my strong Visayan accent. I preferred communicating in straight English with occasional slip ups in diction, common for people called bisdaks (Filipinos who speak Visayan language) like me who hail from the southern part of the country.
The bank was excellently steered by its Chairman, Jose Fernandez, in carving a dynamic culture of professionalism, which made us land among the top 3 banks in the country. Later, Mr. Fernandez was appointed Central Bank Governor of the country. The Internal Audit and Reconciliation Division was headed by Vice President Jose Pro Montesa (fellow Visayan) while we were directly supervised by Vicente Camara and Andres Jubay (fellow Cebuano) Manager and Junior Officer, respectively.
Initially, I handled the reconciliation of our accounts with various banks all over the world like Chase Manhattan Bank and Crocker Bank. After 6 months, I was promoted to Junior Audit Examiner. Thereafter, I started my field training and actual exposure in auditing at the head office and bank’s branches all over the country.
The working environment at the office was warm and exciting. Many of us were young, full of enthusiasm and vigor. The excellent training over a landscape of professionalism in the entire bank propelled the carving of a cultural dynamism and passion to excel among us. Balance of work and fun made our stay more meaningful which etched a sense of pride and belongingness.
Starting in Metro Manila branches, I was tasked to review minor accounts, then more complicated ones as we progressed in our audit engagements to a lot of sprouting branches in different cities. Usually, there were 3 members in a team with one supervisor depending on the size of the branch. With my constant exposure with the job and interaction with the branch’s officers and staff, I slowly gained professional maturity and self confidence.
Six months after, I became the audit team leader. I first supervised teams for small branches and then headed on to lead the teams that took care of the branches in prime financial districts like Makati and Binondo. When I gained the trust and confidence of my boss, out of town sorties for branches as far as those in northern Luzon down to Mindanao became a regular assignment.
During that time, 1976, the conflict between the government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was still at its height, such that an 8 hour travel by land from Davao City to General Santos City was quite risky. Aboard the bank’s Toyota Land Cruiser, the team cowered in fear as we went through several checkpoints along mountainous and rugged terrain, seeing fully armed men inspecting vehicles passing by. We had no way of identifying whether these were friendly forces or not, as they wore combat uniforms but had different patches and spoke crude Tagalog, Visayan or Muslim dialects.
The opportunity to travel around the country and interact with other people made me more mature and career conscious. A year after, I got another promotion, this time, Senior Audit Examiner, the official rank of an audit team leader.