Contrary to the statement given by Mrs Luz Tiqui to this writer in the evening of September 9, the owner of President Body Repairs in Blacktown said that the purchase was absolute. Tiqui said that the purchase was “conditional.” Ms. Tiqui is the CEO of Philippine Australian Community Foundation (PACF), the registered owner of the Filipino Multi-Purpose Centre (MPC) currently based in Schofields NSW.
Mr. Glen Junior said that he had accepted $129,000 as 10 per cent deposit and that the money is non-refundable.
Apparently learning of the different declarations by Tiqui and Glen, PACF Chairman Mansueto Villon called this writer in the evening of September 10 to explain that the PACF board merely wanted to protect the interest of MPC should the Schofields transaction not materialize.
There was no public consultation
It must be remembered that the original site of MPC in Rooty Hill was purchased through donations made by the Filipino Community. More than $100,000 was also obtained through government grants, the latest of which was some $30,000 given through the efforts of Riverstone MP Kevin Connolly.
We do not know if the Federal MP was notified of the sale of Schofields or the purchase of the Blacktown Smash Repair Shop, but one thing is certain — the Filipino Community was not consulted. When the matter was brought up with Tiqui, she said that the PACF Trust Deed empowers the board to act “as if it were the owner of MPC.”
There are unconfirmed reports that there was a shouting match that happened at MPC Schofields on September 12, during the celebration of the birthday of Fr. Renato Paras. A well-known corporate lawyer questioned the validity of the decision to buy the Blacktown property. It seems that the basis of the lawyer’s objection to the purchase was the rash decision to buy and the absence of consultation with the Filipino Community.
It is the opinion of this writer that the location is good compared to the Riverstone warehouse that was originally considered as the new Multi-Purpose Centre. The Smash Repair Shop in Blacktown is very close to where the majority of Filipinos live. – by Dino Crescini