One would think, as a man reaches the threshold of his “date with destiny,” that his thoughts would turn from worldly concerns to more sublime matters, such as the fate of his soul, the welfare of his loved ones, and the legacy he leaves behind.
But Gonzalo Co It, who is 94 years old and has been confined to a wheelchair, even as his mind remains sharp and his penmanship is remarkably steady and readable, has been forced to contend with more material concerns.
It is not all about money. The dispute with his siblings Anthony, Peter and Mary, and other relatives, including the widow of his brother Joseph and all his nephews and nieces, centers on Gonzalo’s legacy, indeed the defining achievement of his life—his claim to founding the Green Cross company that manufactures the well-known brands Green Cross Rubbing Alcohol and Zonrox bleach.
True, there is a lot of money involved. Green Cross Inc.—which has branched out to personal and healthcare products—is believed to be worth “billions,” says one of Gonzalo’s eight children. But there are also policy issues involved. A glance at the list of the country’s richest individuals would show that these men and women preside over family corporations, and their stability and continuing prosperity rely on the continuing good relationships between and among parents, siblings, even grandchildren who assert ownership over the company’s assets. As the years move on, generational priorities and values may change, and when disputes arise economic stability could not but be shaken and stirred.
And so it is with the decades-long dispute between Gonzalo and his siblings, a dispute that has now spilled over to their respective children and grandchildren.
It is a family tragedy that has struck at the heart of the most sacrosanct of Filipino-Chinese traditions—respect for one’s elders and caring for the welfare of family members.
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As gleaned from Gonzalo’s own memoirs, the Cos were once so close they resided in one house, with the Co parents and siblings living on the second floor while Gonzalo, his wife and children lived on the ground floor. Gonzalo himself admits that he spent much of his time “upstairs,” since, as the eldest son who is more than 20 years older than his brothers and sister, he felt like a “second father” to them.
But in the 1970s and 1980s, after Gonzalo Laboratories was reorganized and renamed Green Cross Inc., things soured between the brothers and sister over the distribution of shares, with Gonzalo filing criminal and civil suits against his siblings, nephews and nieces for alleged misappropriation of the shares he entrusted to them.
In their rebuttal to Gonzalo’s claims—published in several newspapers and even in a recent series of full-page ads—the Co siblings say that, contrary to Gonzalo’s assertion, the company was really founded by their father, who funneled his life savings into setting up Gonzalo Laboratories. “Gonzalo” was used simply because, according to Chinese tradition, the name of the first-born is usually adopted as the name of the family business. In his memoir, Gonzalo says his father simply lent him the start-up capital and that he had paid it back in full.
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The Co siblings cite a series of court decisions affirming their ownership of Green Cross following Gonzalo’s turnover of the controlling shares to them for which he was compensated.
“Like most of you,” they said in a public statement, “we are law-abiding citizens and private persons who simply wish to live a quiet life. We also happen to be in the right…. That is why we have patiently gone through and continue to go through the proper legal processes to clear our name.”
Gonzalo concedes that court cases have not exactly gone according to plan. He even approached the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice to examine documents related to the case he filed against his siblings; and in ads he recently took out in several dailies, he cites the NBI finding that stock certificates to Green Cross had been forged. Estafa charges have been filed, while the DOJ also recommended to the Anti-Money Laundering Council to look into the alleged diversion of Green Cross funds to another company.
Gonzalo has even gone to the extent of filing charges against Joseph’s widow alleging that her decision to bury her husband’s remains in a mausoleum which he claims to own violated his rights. That claim was later rejected by the Court of Appeals.
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I must admit that, from the outside looking in, I don’t see how the separate branches of the Co-Green Cross family could bridge the divide that has sprung between them. Especially now that later generations have gotten involved.
“Our uncles and aunt became afraid that we would all step into the company if they relented,” recalls one son of Gonzalo’s. He ruefully admits that they have hardly had any contact nor relations with their cousins or their children.
One hopes that the spirit of family unity and togetherness will prevail, especially in the remaining weeks, months, even years of Gonzalo’s life. As an observer to this family saga, I can only hope that the old man crosses the divide reconciled with his siblings and freed from the memories of their bitter feud over the fruits of all their collective hard work.
But for that to happen, passions need to cool down and compromises reached. I don’t know if either side is willing to take a step forward toward reconciliation. But the very public and heated exchange of words especially through the media cannot help the situation any. On this, I must say that I’ve already said my own final words on this sad family feud.