What's with the Jack N' Poy in the FACC elections?

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

The Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz once wrote that ”in a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.” 

Milosz, who became a US citizen in the 70s, continued talking about the issues on his native Poland and his vigilance helped awaken social awareness among his people. 

The recent invalidation of the election results of the Fil-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) last December 5 by the FACC-Commission on Elections (Comelec) here at Charlotte, North Carolina and the events that happened earlier stirred up a hornet's nest that resulted in a fiery exchange between members and non-members at the group's Facebook page.

It all started with one post from Ed Onia. Nowhere did I see an outpouring of ideas and opinions of an event involving the FACC in recent time. It showed the passion of the Fil-American community for the FACC. 

The controversy stemmed from allowing two persons to play a game of Jack N' Poy—the Filipino equivalent of paper, rock and scissors—with the winner taking the presidency.  

The FACC-Comelec is the sole body entrusted with overseeing the elections and has the authority to resolve any election related issues. Anyone else trying to make a declaration that doesn't have its approval is guilty of usurpation of power.

Lest it be forgotten the FACC-Comelec's authority emanates from the supreme will of the members.

The by-laws are clear on this so what made the FACC-Comelec allow the two candidates to play Jack N' Poy when it is only allowed during a tie in election results? 

Why not allow those present in the meeting to agree to vote for the two candidates? The winner needs only seven votes. Or was it because there were members of the FACC-Comelec who doesn't want any secret balloting?

Dr. Tony Amor said that if the results of the December 5, 2015 elections are “still inconclusive to this day” and the parties involved cannot come to any reasonable agreement, then “the FACC Comelec should invalidate the aforementioned election results and call for a general meeting for the purpose of electing a new set of officers.” 

Amor posted his comment before the FACC-Comelec invalidated the result of the Jack N' Poy.

He also said it is “within the FACC-Comelec's authority to resolve any election matters as specified in the by-laws.”

“Duly registered members who are unable to attend the general election meeting should still be able to cast their ballots by mail-in paper proxy, email or on this FACC Facebook page,” he said.

The invalidation is also misleading because if the election of the president was invalidated, it also casts serious doubts on those elected to other positions. Is their election tainted or was there also Jack N' Poy involved?

I can only commiserate with the FACC-Comelec for this situation. I can only theorize that they were tired with dealing with it and that they've dealt with it more than once in the past few years. 

Familiarity can get boring sometimes. But by allowing this Jack N' Poy to happen, the FACC-Comelec gave its blessing to those who instigated this farce and opened the floodgates of outrage ventilated by the group's members and even non-members who care about the FACC. 

Did the FACC-Comelec abdicate its duty and allow the Jack N' Poy so they can buy peace within the group? Jack N' Poy, hale, hae hoy and poof, their job is done?

This could only worsen the situation and provoke and agitate those who put their faith in the group, believing that everything is okay and there's nothing to fix. 

Having allowed the two presidential candidates to agree among themselves in their presence, the FACC-Comelec only succeeds in cheapening the presidency and other posts in the group. 

Florami Lao Cordero-Lee, past FACC president, said the group is about transparencies and the members have to “know the truth.

“Someone is slithering like a snake somehow and is lying about everything, just to be a president,” Florami said. She did not elaborate who she was referring too.

The Jack N' Poy also sends the wrong signal that guidelines and by-laws can be by-passed simply because there were years that there were no candidates or volunteers to the positions. 

Or was it because nobody is watching, that they don’t even attend or take into consideration the sentiments of the members? That was a wrong move—my apologies because the FACC and its FACC-Comelec needs a “pistol shot of truth” to be awakened and reminded of their duties and mandate to their members.

That pistol shot or several pistol shots were the Facebook posts that commented and questioned that Jack N' Poy allowed by the FACC-Comelec.

Did the recent incident awaken a sleeping volcano of sentiment (resentment?) among the FACC members? That volcano was bound to erupt after years of neglect by the group and the abuse of power of the few.
   
Times are different now, times are changing. The group's constitution and its by-laws must be pragmatic and dynamic, it must be attuned to serve the future. 

Gone are the days of “tayo-tayo (us together)” and “ato ni (this is ours)”, when people are holding on to power ad infinitum as principles of transparency,check and balance and fixed terms of office are in place.

That those elected to office are reminded that a sword of Damocles is hanging over their heads lest they violate the terms of their tenure.

Events are easily reported due to social media and technology. No more secrets because even before secrets are revealed, they are already disclosed and tweeted to the public.

This Jack N' Poy is a litmus test on the FACC-Comelec's credibility and it can redeem itself from extinction by calling for a general membership meeting the soonest time possible.

Is the FACC beyond reform? Read the next blog on Straight from the Carolinas.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines and is now employed teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her email susanap.dennis@yahoo.com as well as her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)