COMMENTS: ECHOES FROM THE PRAGUE MEETING

Allegations, charges, silence, terminations, and all sorts. Let us put them to rest once and for all.

These are all bringing very bad impressions on the Knights of Rizal. Many of us members are silently observing -- and getting confused, discouraged, dispirited, disillusioned. Instead of a "resend" of a memo on the termination of Moreno (Rizal, aka "Lazir") Victoria, may we ask that the Supreme Council to directly and honestly answer the points raised by Victoria and send them to all Knights of Rizal members around the world.

The dismissal of Lazir, according to the Notice of Decision, is due to "misconduct and/or misbehavior affecting the dignity, integrity, honor and/or reputation of the Knights of Rizal in maliciously imputing in writing (e-mail messages) alleged vices or defects attributed to the Knights of Rizal without justifiable motive." (highlights added)

Does he have to justify his motive? I do not think that is necessary. He only needs to prove them. The Supreme Council also needs to address point by point the issues he raised -- whether they are true or otherwise. That is all we members need. The issues raised appear valid. We want to know whether Lazir's claims are true.

There are so MANY VERY and MORE IMPORTANT matters we need to address and do other than the politics in the KoR. We ask that these issues be satisfactorily addressed -- not by just coming out with notices and memos of termination of a member -- but truly addressing the issues and resolving them.

Many of these are now spilling outside of the KoR circle and it is creating a very bad image for the organization. JPRizal is not just weeping over what is happening with the association attributed to his name; he must be furious in his grave.

Knights are supposed to be noble, courageous, and true.

Let us be those.

Raymund Liongson

Knights of Rizal-Hawaii

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Dear Raymund, I resigned from the Knights Of Rizal a long time ago because of despicable behaviour by some members of the order including a few occupying the top of the hierarchy. It was a difficult decision to make but even after the illustrious Sir David failed to transform the order, myself and another 'malcontent' decided to found a small Rizalist organization with just a few friends hoping we can honour Rizal's legacy. It was difficult because quite a number who remain in the Order are fervent nationalists and Rizalists -- (I can only speak for the Canadians) Sirs Mogi Mogado, Manny Bade, Poy Cana, Joe Luzadas, Jimmy Marasigan -- to name a few-- who continue to serve in their own way. I resigned for a number of reasons but mainly because the Order of the Knights of Rizal has not followed through with the vision that Rizal possessed for the nation that is Pilipinas. To go back to the accusation that Sir Lazir laid against Paras, I can tell you that it is true that Paras' so-called book 'Born to be a Hero' plagiarized Jose Rizal, Filipino Doctor and Patriot written by Jose Baron-Fernandez, edited by Teodoro M. Locsin, translated by Dr. Lilia Hidalgo Laurel and published by Manuel L. Morato in 1980." Paras also passed Andres Bonifacio's translation of Rizal's 'Mi Ultimo Adios' as his own -- word for word. What should the illustrious leaders of the Order of the Knights of Rizal do to a plagiarist like Lino Paras? You tell me. In Rizal, Voltaire de Leon Rizal Society of Ontario