High flying blue-dyed eagle lands in cuckoo’s nest

I made an accurate forecast of the results even before it happened. That was precisely the only reason why I decided to attend the Ateneo Alumni Australia’s (AAA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) last July 27.

As expected, the secretary conveniently “forgot” to write or circulate the minutes of the last AGM. Was it possible that he was  instructed by the emcee, the master designer of the AGM? Without the minutes of the last AGM, proceedings that followed becomes questionable and invalid. The minutes of the last AGM was supposed to have been focused on the withdrawal of Ateneo from the Philippine Community Council (PCC) and that was obviously the reason why it was “forgotten.” Mr. Bulseco obviously did not want the new members to know the reasons why Ateneo withdrew from PCC.

Alric Bulseco, who has gained some expertise in lobbying, must have called a dozen or so former school mates from Ateneo de Davao even before the AGM to boost the numbers in his bold bid to re-acquire membership in the infamous Philippine Community Council (PCC). There were at least 6 — maybe more — new faces who attended the Ateneo AGM that was held at the St. Exequiel Moreno Recolletos Convent in Doonside NSW. Their membership was unceremoniously approved without the required verification of their alumni status. I doubt if anybody even bothered to make them fill out a membership application form. Worse, they were immediately allowed to vote after paying the measly $10 annual membership fee.

Most, if not all, were not aware of the fiasco that has been happening in PCC. And of course, Bulseco would not inform the new recruits how the past PCC president and treasurer mishandled the funds intended for disaster victims in the Philippines.

He would not obviously tell the new members the reasons why Ateneo and De La Salle withdrew membership in PCC last year. His attention was focused on having Ateneo re-enter the so-called ‘umbrella organisation’ of Philippine associations in NSW.

Men for others

When asked of what value is PCC to Ateneo, he could offer only one reason to justify Ateneo’s re-entry into PCC. He referred to Ateneo’s motto of being ‘men for others.’

As far as I can remember, Ateneo’s membership in PCC has resulted in nothing good for the alumni association. I have been a member of the AAA board for the past 17 years since its inception in 1997 and I know what has been happening in PCC. Fortunately, there are still a few good men and women in PCC who serve as my eyes and ears in that organisation whose membership has been dwindling over the past several years.

Not too long ago, the ex-wife of this blue-dyed flying eagle wrote an email to the AAA’s email loop. She said that her ex-husband is truly a ‘man for others.’ She was of course referring to their broken marriage and his illicit relationships with other women that include a former treasurer of PCC and currently, an alleged alumna of Ateneo de Davao, among others.

Proxy vote

A past president of AAA, Mr. Jimmy Pimentel had to leave immediately after mass because his youngest sister was in hospital. He wanted to cast a proxy vote. Bulseco, however said in his most authoritative manner that proxy votes are not allowed under the AAA constitution. He knew that Pimentel would vote against his motion to rejoin PCC.

But later, during the actual casting of ballots, 3 proxy votes were counted. Nobody in the incumbent board identified the names of the proxy votes.

Representation in PCC

Bulseco is currently a member of the PCC board. When Ateneo resigned from PCC in September last year, Bulseco frantically sought membership in other organisations to justify his continued existence in PCC. He was not removed from the Board as should have been the case. Last February, he ran again for re-election as External VP representing BayBay and Friends during the election and then after winning, he shifted representation to AusMindanao.  Five days later, he resigned citing health reasons and then retracted his resignation a day later.

It must be remembered that Bulseco entered PCC in 2007 as a flying voter when he misrepresented Ateneo and voted at the PCC AGM.  He was officially accepted as a member of the Ateneo Alumni Association of Australia only after the elections. I have a copy of his membership application. Thus, he was dubbed as the “flying eagle” by a regular columnist of this newspaper.

It was truly a mockery of membership in PCC. Ateneo withdrew its membership only last year. Now, because of manipulations of someone who loves the limelight, AAA has re-joined PCC. The high flying blue-dyed eagle landed in the cuckoo’s nest!

He continues to wreak havoc wherever he goes and it seems, the more intelligent PCC directors don’t want him there either. — Dino Crescini