Focused on personal attacks, not on legal issues

This pertains to Erlinda Ilusorio Bildner’s libelous letter, which was published in the Feb. 21 issue of the Inquirer.

Much as I do not want to dignify the letter’s gutter allegations, I am compelled to address its malicious statements. Instead of focusing on legal issues, personal attacks were made against me to bolster Bildner’s claims of representing the Philcomsat companies.

The letter did not deny the Court of Appeals decision which declared that Bildner’s group has no authority to represent Philcomsat Holdings Corp. Bildner also attempted to belittle the order, dated Aug. 20, 2004, of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which upheld our stockholders’ meetings of Philippine Overseas Telecommunications Corp. (POTC) and Philcomsat and the election of our board.

The Court of Appeals has already dismissed the petition filed by Bildner’s group to challenge our meetings and election. Also, at the time that the Court of Appeals dismissed their petition, the Supreme Court decision in GR No. 141796 (not 171964) had already been promulgated. Clearly, the Court’s decision does not affect the validity of our board’s election in 2004, in accordance with company by-laws.

The Court itself dismissed Bildner’s “hybridized” petition in 2006, and her prayer for her group to be declared “legitimate” based on the decision in GR No. 141796. It is only our legitimate board that can call any meeting of the Philcomsat companies.

As PHC chair and representative, my actions are pursuant to the board’s decisions. I am a duly authorized signatory of PHC, but it is absurd to claim that the checks I sign are used by me personally. PHC funds are used for legitimate business and company-approved expenses.

The mention of the Toyota Camry is irrelevant. I did not wreck or abandon the car. It was Bildner’s sister, Honi Ilusorio, who supposedly instructed the Toyota dealer to prevent me from claiming the car. Bildner’s group is obviously harassing me so I would abandon the legal actions involving Philcomsat.

The Office of the President is being misled and intimidated on the issues involving Philcomsat. Bildner’s group was able to forcibly take over company premises. Shareholders may also take notice of the Ilusorio family feud and the issues of coercion, kidnapping, falsification, etc. attending these cases. The mother, Erlinda Ilusorio, in her book, unmasks Bildner’s reprehensible acts toward her own parents and siblings. Consistent with her strategy, she is launching slanderous attacks against me in the media instead of allowing legal matters to be resolved by the courts.

Such strategies should not be used to harass stockholders, such as myself, who have every right to protect our interest. The Poblador shares were never sequestered. My continuing efforts to stand by the legitimacy of our board, made in good faith, should be respected.

—CONCEPCION A. POBLADOR, chair,

Philcomsat Holdings Corp.;

vice president,

POTC and Philcomsat

This is the last letter to be published by the Inquirer on the Philcomsat and related cases.—Ed.