PinoyWatchDog.com | Asian Journal Roger Oriel

Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 1

LOS ANGELES – “I was forced to write somethingthat I did not want to write twice by the publisherof Balita. Last year I was asked to do that again,”confessed writer-editor David Casuco of BalitaMedia during a press conference organized by theMedia and Business Club of Los Angeles onWednesday at the Kapistahan Restaurant inHistoric Filipino-town. Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 4

Casuco related an incident last year when his independenceas an editor was again put to the test, and he lost because heno longer belonged to the Balita management’s trusted circle,which includes Anthony Allen, his wife Luchie Allen, andRhony Laigo, Balita executive editor. Casuco has a historyof standing for his ethics as a respected and ethicaljournalist. In the past, when Balita was embroiled in the so-called “Dindo Reyes-Michael Gurfinkel case”, Davidresigned from Balita, but he was rehired again last year,after Laigo had been taken in as editor. In the ensuingreshuffle, Laigo was elevated to the executive editor positioneven though Casuco had more seniority and tenure thanLaigo. Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 5

“Last year,” a visibly tearful Casuco revealed at the pressconference, “It happened again. I was against using a blurbon the front page of Balita that stated “Is Bander a crook?”He revealed that Luchie Mendoza-Allen, probably fearing itwould bring a libel lawsuit, agreed with him. “But RhonyLaigo put it back,” Casuco said. It appears that executiveeditor Laigo, who prides in calling himself a“practicing journalist,” is the person that harbors hatredagainst Atty Bander. Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 6

Casuco vowed that it was his sole decision to attend thepress conference, even saying that he was initiallyadamant about pursuing the idea because he thought thestaff of PinoyWatchDog.com would not welcome him.But his principles won over his fears, and he came. “I’mgoing to write what I want to write,” he said. “If the(Balita) organization changes it I’m going to ask them notto publish it and walk out of there. I will insist that theydon’t change it or I will walk out again.”He added that he would be the best person to helpPinoyWatchDog.com and Balita to resolve theirdifferences. “If you want this resolved in a peacefulmanner you can use me as a go-between. There is no needto perpetuate a bad thing.” Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 7

Before the surprising revelation by Casuco, communityleader and Tanod Bayan, Inc. President Al Aquinocriticized Balita owners Anthony Allen and LuchieMendoza-Allen, also the owners of the Law Office ofJames P. Beirne. Aquino said that maligning Atty Banderand the entire staff of PinoywatchDog.com for exposingthem as the owners of the Law Office of Atty Beirne is notgood for the Filipino-American community. “If Beirne isjust one of their advertisers, why are they going to greatlengths to defend him, especially now that he is facinghundreds of contempt of court charges for deceitful andfraudulent claims in his advertising?” Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 8

Aquino, who is also the executive editor ofPinoyWatchDog. com, announced that he is lodginga complaint with the State Bar of California forBeirne’s continuing disobedience of Judge SoussanBruguera’s court order to desist from “deceptive,misleading and false advertising” for whichviolations Beirne is liable for hundreds ofthousands of dollars in fines and jail time if foundguilty. Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 9

A veteran newsman and a former town Mayor and Memberof the Provincial Board in his native province of La Union,Aquino blasted Balita for a recent editorial which brandedAquino and Rene Villaroman, PWD Managing Editor, asalter egos of Atty Bander. “That editorial has insinuatedthat Bander owns everything and everyone atPinoyWatchDog.com,” Aquino said. “True, he provides thefinancing to print the newspaper, and he even serves asSenior Columnist for the paper; but is publishing anewspaper a crime in America?” Aquino asked. “He isbeing accused by them as a con man because he pays forthe publication of PinoyWatchDog.com.” Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 10

“They keep harping that Bander has scammed 800 people.How come no one has come up and filed a lawsuitagainst him? How come he is walking tall and free, andin fact, he is here with us today?” Can you say the samethings for the reclusive Anthony Allen and LuchieMendoza-Allen? Have you seen them in public minglingwith Filipino-Americans like what Atty Bander alwaysdoes?” But the real truth is that the Allens are the ownersof the Law Office of James P. Beirne that is why they areputting everything they have to protect Beirne, even inthe face of his hundreds of contempt of court charges. Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 11

“Balita should not shoot the messenger. Instead,they should come out with a credible explanationof what is really happening in theirorganization,” Aquino said. “No newspaperwould do what Balita is doing unless what’shappening currently to Beirne is impacting theirownership interest. This is harmful to the Filipinocommunity and it must stop.” Atty. James Beirne Contempt 3/14/2012 12

PinoyWatchDog.com | Asian Journal Roger Oriel

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