“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
– George A. Moore
NEW YORK CITY — Sources from the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) here informed us recently that Bacolod City Mayor Monico “Nyok” Puentevella will be among the Philippine government officials who will grace the 117th Philippine Independence Day, which will be celebrated in a grand parade on June 7, here.
Puentevella’s presence should be necessary since Bacolod’s Masskara Festival has been reportedly invited to participate in this year’s parade of Philippines festivals.
We will have a press conference this afternoon (June 2) at the office of PhilippineConsul General Mario L. de Leon Jr. where Philippine Ambassador Rodolfo del Rosario will reportedly arrive from Washington, D.C. in relation to the big activity on Sunday.
Three days ago, we learned that Puentevella was prevented from traveling to Switzerland to attend the International Football Federation (FIFA) congress because of the pending graft case filed against him when he was a congressman.
ABORTED
We remember Puentevella’s aborted trip to Switzerland when the PIDCI sources informed us the 68-year-old mayor of the “City of Smiles” would be arriving here for the Philippine Independence Day Parade.
If he wasn’t able to attend the FIFA congress in Switzerland as board member of FIFA’s marketing and television committee which was only days ago, can he be allowed to attend the Philippine Independence Day parade in the United States on June 7?
Since Puentevella has a U.S. visa, he can travel to the US anytime except if there is a hold departure order against him.
We presumed that any elected official with pending graft case does not lose his right to travel especially if it involves an activity about Philippine festivals or commemoration of historical events.
We saw Puentevella in Las Vegas during the Mayweather versus Pacquiao rumble on May 2, thus we conclude that the United States did not ban him from entering here in relation to sports, festivals and other important events.
CONVICT
And besides, Puentevella has not been convicted of any crime.
A graft case does not make a person criminal unless proven otherwise.
A graft case can’t curtail any person’s right to move around and travel abroad to attend in activities related to his function as a public official.
This year, noted area lawyer and community leader Reuben S. Seguritan will be the Grand Marshal for the Philippine Independence Day Parade.
Seguritan was the founding President of PIDCI when it was incorporated on February 14, 2002. He also co-founded the Filipino American Human Services, Inc. (FAHSI), a leading New York organization that provides social services to disadvantaged Filipinos, according to its website.
Seguritan was presented to the community by the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) at the official residence of the Philippine Consul General in New York, Ambassador Mario L. de Leon, Jr. at a dinner and merrymaking-in-the season event last December 8, 2014, attended by close to 100 community who’s who.
