Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

Greetings to all activists around the globe who bravely challenge those hiding behind the mask of philanthropy within clubs and associations.Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

This is a story about a former Rotarian who was brave enough to reveal a clever but hidden scam in a Philippine Rotary Club.  

Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 
In 2005, in the Philippines' province of Bohol, a story that might appear somewhat out of date comes to light. However, although not unique, the scheme's sophistication was not a one-off occurrence within Rotary International. These scammers had a lot of help from people who knew a lot about it from working in the US and Australia. They subsequently shared their knowledge with local Rotarians in Cebu and Bohol van ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

Evan ILIADIS, a member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran 

According to Evan ILIADIS, a member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran, the Evanston, Illinois Rotary administration seemed more focused on protecting the club's reputation than on addressing his accusations. He therefore decided to take the case to a public forum, first posting the story on the rotarycluboftagbilaran.org website.

He discussed the scam and identified the dishonest con artists who exploited the impoverished in rural Bohol in at least 60 entries. Just ten cents of every dollar donated by kind Rotarians and, more significantly, the Rotary Foundation (TRF), which totaled thousands of US dollars, went to these individuals. van ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

Following a few years, Evan Iliadis abruptly stopped discussing Rotary on almost all of his blogs, leaving his thousands of readers in the dark. In addition to contributing, I was among the readers who organized mailing campaigns for subscribers worldwide. Despite my repeated attempts to contact him, he never responded. There was a time I thought he might have died. However, I later found out he is still very much alive.

 Whatever the reason for his silence, I, Gerald Tevenier, have decided to revive his blogs. While I didn’t have the necessary material, the Wayback Machine had archived them. Every generation must understand the significance of this knowledge, as it holds the key to shaping a better future for our world.
Let's get started.

 

 VILLAGE AIDE PROGRAM(VAP rip-off) as we know it.van ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

 My name is Evan Iliadis, and I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. When I lived on the Philippine island of Bohol for six years, I was a member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT). Here is a synopsis of my Rotarian experiences.Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

 Community service was my top priority from my induction in March 2004. I gave up my spare time to help kids, the elderly, and people with mental illnesses. Rotarian Derek Pyrah and his family established the Village Aide Program (VAP) in Australia, which provided funding for this service.

Later, when he left his wife to pursue a romantic relationship with a 20-year-old Filipino girl in the Philippines, Pyrah, then 62, made headlines in the Rotary community. Dave Collins, a former Rotarian and past president of the Rotary Club of [RCT], oversaw the funds for this project.

 

My club unanimously agreed that I deserved the Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) award, which I was honored to receive in August 2007. The $1,000 cost was covered by the VAP. However, I was not thrilled about it. I wish I had gotten the award from the president of the Rotary Club as a real thank you for my service to the club instead of being linked to VAP's shady business practices without knowing it. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

in September 2007, I asked the president of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT), of which I was a member, to investigate the whereabouts of certain sums of money linked to Dave and Baby Collins Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.   Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

Evan ILIADIS, a member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran alerted the Rotary administration in Evanston, Illinois, to the fact that they seemed more focused on protecting the club's reputation than addressing his accusations. Consequently, he decided to take the matter to a public tribunal by first publishing the story on the club's website: rotarycluboftagbilaran.org. van ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.
He published no fewer than 60 entries detailing the scam, exposing the unscrupulous crooks who preyed on the desperation of poor people in the rural areas of Bohol. These individuals received only 10 cents of each donated dollar from generous Rotarians and, more importantly, from the Rotary Foundation (TRF), which amounted to thousands of US dollars. van ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 
Years later, Evan shut down nearly all of his blogs related to Rotary without providing any explanation to his thousands of readers. I was one of those readers and also a contributor who organized mailing campaigns for subscribers around the world. I reached out to him multiple times, but all my requests went unanswered. At one point, I wondered if he had passed away. However, I later discovered that he is still very much alive.

Whatever the reason for his silence, I, Gerald Tevenier, have decided to revive his blogs. While I didn’t have the necessary material, the Wayback Machine had archived them. Every generation must understand the significance of this knowledge, as it holds the key to shaping a better future for our world.
Let's get started.

 

 VILLAGE AIDE PROGRAM(VAP rip-off) as we know it.

van ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

Evan ILIADIS wrote:
My name is Evan Iliadis, and I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. I am a former member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT) located on the island of Bohol, Philippines, where I lived for six years. This is a brief account of my experiences as a Rotarian. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

From the very first day of my induction in March 2004, I prioritized community service. I dedicated my time, without pay, to serving children, the elderly, and individuals with mental disabilities. The funds for this service were provided by the Village Aide Program (VAP), an organization based in Australia, which was founded by Rotarian Derek Pyrah and his family.

Pyrah, at the age of 62, made headlines when he left his wife to pursue a romantic relationship with a 20-year-old Filipino girl in the Philippines. The funds for this endeavor were managed by Dave Collins, a former Rotarian and Past President of the Rotary Club of Tagbilara [RCT].

In August 2007, I was honored to receive the Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) award, which my club unanimously felt I deserved. The $1,000 cost was covered by the VAP. However, I was not thrilled about it. I wished I could have received the award from the president of the Rotary Club as a genuine recognition of my contributions to the club, rather than being unknowingly associated with VAP's questionable business practices-Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

In September 2007, as a member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT), I submitted a request to the club's president to investigate the whereabouts of certain amounts of money related to Rotarians Dave and Baby Collins, who were also members of the club: Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.  
--Following approval of five Matching Grants (MG), funds were moved to a Metro Bank (MB) account by The Rotary Foundation (TRF). David Collins and Deoscoro Uy, who oversees the local MB branch, are the custodians of this account. Uy is the treasurer and former president of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT). The MG I'm talking about consists of::

- RC Milton-Mowbray Matching Grant 2006  P 800,000.00
- RC Milton-Mowbray Matching Grant 2007P950,000.00
- RC Collingwood Canada  Matching Grant 2007 P790,000.00
- RC Wiltshire Blvd Hollywood Matching Grant 2007 P 900,000.00
- RC West Wollongong Matching Grant 2007 P 902,739.95

-The club's accounting report did not record the thousands of US dollars that were received from donations made by clubs and Rotarians worldwide, as Treasurer Deo Uy disclosed during the regular meeting. Conversely, these funds were deposited into an MB account, of which David Collins and Deo were the sole custodians. Since they were the only ones who knew about the money, it was not deposited in a bank account controlled by the club, which is against Rotary International rules.

 The Australian-based Village Aide Program allegedly gave Baby Collins 10 million pesos, or roughly US$250,000, according to a banner outside her pawnshop in downtown Tagbilaran City. It didn't seem like any bank accounts or financial transactions the club oversaw were connected to the amounts displayed on the banner.

 

- 

-As stated in the TRF's terms and conditions, all construction projects financed by the RI must have detailed cost and bidding documents. This includes projects such as the construction of waterless toilets, water tanks, and similar works. Instead, Dave Collins, who worked as a prime contractor and hired his employees, completed these tasks. This action contravened the "conflict of interest" section of the TRF bylaws. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

 

- The RCT established an investigation committee in response to the complaint. However, the Collins family refused to appear at their planned meetings to address the charges. They chose to quit the club and go on the run rather than defend the indefensible. They knew my charges had merit, and their own fingerprints supported them. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

 

I provided the required paperwork to support my allegations, informing the TRF of what I believe to be fraud. I forwarded this information to Heather Fosburgh, the stewardship supervisor, and to Meredith Berliew and Colette Martin-Wilde, both of whom coordinate the Matching Grant program. All three work out of the RI main office in Evanston, Illinois.

Not all the money had been allocated to the planned projects when I asked. David Collins and Deo Uy were asked to disclose where the unused funds were and provide a full accounting of the money received. According to Baby Collins, they returned 4 million pesos, about 88 thousand US dollars, to the TRF. However, the investigators have not been given any evidence to support this claim.

At the same time, the TRF directed senior Matching Grant supervisor and Southeast Asia Rotary clubs coordinator Catherine King to look into my claims. She cleared the RCT of wrongdoing, allowing the club to apply for a Matching Grant again. She hasn't replied, though, when questioned about the 4 million pesos Collins said she returned. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

-I want to draw attention to two remarks that are common to hundreds of emails that I received. Both statements were made by Rotarians from the United States. This background is significant because their practical approach is frequently unpopular around the world, particularly in developing nations. This often stems from a lack of cultural sensitivity and understanding, unless they have direct experience in the area. Bill's comment, for example, illustrates this viewpoint. However, "George" tells me to go ahead with confidence because he is "right on the money"!

 Here is the first:“I found your site interesting, especially as a brand-new Rotarian. The only thing I would question, without knowing any facts, is how much better these individuals would have been if the Rotarians had done nothing.”  

— Bill (not his real name)

Bill, many people might disagree with how you handle charitable work. Should people feel grateful to pay something rather than nothing if you are defrauding the IRS by paying only $100 in taxes instead of the $1,000 you truly owe? 

The real problem is how much money was raised, how much was actually invested, and the motivation behind "helping" the poor. 

Should we be thankful to the individuals mentioned when they ask for a dollar donation to feed the hungry, claiming that 97% of the funds go to the cause, only to find that when you open the bag, it contains only 20 cents' worth of food?  Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

I have distributed hundreds of the famous "bundle of joy," so I know what I'm talking about! Based on your opinion and philosophy, should we really applaud them for giving only 20 cents instead of the 97% they claimed they would donate?

 

 

He claims, in this document and several others I possess, that the administrator's cost is only 2.3% of the budget. This allocation is intended to cover the cost of accommodation and transportation for five yearly trips to the Philippines from Australia. According to Derek Pyrah, this budget also covers the travel and lodging costs for RI officials, board members, and his ex-wife, in addition to supporting numerous Australian visitors. This 2.3% allocation of a $100,000 yearly income covers all these expenses. I will leave the conclusion to the readers.

  Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.   

-The second email was from a respected, long-time Rotarian with an honorable record in the organization; let’s refer to him as "George." He wrote: “If it is about money, be specific about how the money flowed and how it should have flowed. You don’t need much more than that.”

 

Request granted, George. I've talked a lot about my charges, but let me restate them plainly. I accuse them of the following:Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

1. There have been allegations of fraud against individuals, Rotarians, clubs, and organizations in Australia and other nations. VAP leaders Derek Pyrah and Dave Collins allegedly misled donors into contributing funds by misrepresenting their actions. They instructed donors to deposit money not into a bank account controlled by the RCT Club, but into an account managed solely by Collins and the treasurer, PP Deo Dioscoro, without the club's knowledge. Notably, Deo Dioscoro manages the Metro Bank where these accounts are held. This is just one example of the issue.
   Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 
   
2. Dave Collins is accused of misleading TRF about the use of the MG in order to defraud them of thousands of dollars. He failed to disclose that he was the contractor-builder for every construction project that was put forward for funding. Instead, he falsely claimed that a construction company named Valles Construction, located in Tagbilaran, Bohol, was hired for the work. However, no company with that name is listed in the Bohol Trades and Industry Department database. Please review the emails he sent to RI and other recipients, including me.
   
    

   

   
   

   
   

   

   Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.
   

   
   

Again, George, I ask: Why should I overlook the fact that all of the medication that was bought ended up on Dave Collins wife's pharmacy shelves for sale rather than being distributed for free to the underprivileged? More famously, Baby Collins obsesses over replacing her cell phone every week with the newest model, which is often manufactured in Europe.

They are claiming, "Oh yes! We have receipts!" But what receipts are they referring to? All the receipts are in the name of her pharmacy, covering purchases made for her business as well as for the Rotary. Has anyone actually seen any of these receipts? If you have, please raise your hand.

-After I submitted a request to my club to investigate the matters mentioned above, the president established an investigative committee to look into the allegations. They organized several meetings with Collins and PP Dioscoro for discussions and were instructed to provide the bank account passbooks—which we refer to as savings account booklets in the Philippines—where all transactions are recorded. I found myself wondering why they didn’t have a checking account. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

But, they refused to cooperate, vanished, and did not attend either the investigation meetings or the regular meetings. "George, do you know anyone innocent who would act this way? If my allegations, as presented to the club and Rotary International, were motivated by malice stemming from a personal vendetta, it would be easy for such powerful individuals to dismiss them outright. Instead, they chose to hide rather than take the time to explain themselves." Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

-The Rotary International (RI) and the District Governor (DG) were informed about these facts a long time ago. Their inaction on this matter not only led to a “let it go” attitude but also encouraged the accused to further amplify their already unhealthy and predatory behavior towards the local Rotary community.

Evan ILIADIS wrote this.

 Rotary should revoke the memberships of Derek Pytah and Dave Collins, the founders of VAP, as a result of their defamatory and unlawful actions against the Rotary Club of Upper Tagbilaran in Bohol, Philippines.

In a period when Rotary instructed District Governors to concentrate on the establishment of new clubs and the induction of new members, certain individuals were secretly working to undermine the establishment of a particular club. In an unethical attempt to hurt the reputations of several potential members, they spread damaging and false information about them. They had almost succeeded in their efforts; although they claimed to be supporting these people, their real goal was to damage their reputations and interfere with their work. However, despite their strategies, their schemes ultimately failed.

With the support and common sense of the former District Governor 3860, Evelyn Magno, the RCUT (Rotary Club University of Bohol) survived the coup. Now, two years later, this club enjoys full recognition from the people of Bohol, despite the questionable support of the current District Governor, Yumi Espina. Take a moment to read this, look at the photo, and form your own opinion. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

What made this plot happen? It's fear, hate, and greed that hold the key. There were numerous reasons for Collins to be apprehensive about the formation of the new club, which was exclusively composed of Filipinos, particularly young men and intellectuals. By comparison, only 10 of the 25 members of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT) were foreigners. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.    Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

There is concern about the uncovering of the VAP's dishonest activities on the island. The RCUT includes experienced engineers. If their chartering is approved, there will be some interaction between the two clubs in town. "Go tell them that, as they see it, a dry toilet costs 300,000 pesos or 7,000 Australian dollars! They will laugh in your face." Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

There's a worry that Derek Pyrah might have to give MG more equal support, like he did for some clubs in Cebu. "If you disclose to your supporters in Australia that you are collaborating with District 3860 in the Philippines, you are obligated to fulfill that commitment." In the district, there are other clubs, such as RCUT. But Collins has no plans to work with them. The paranoia of Collins was at its height when President Luella Bantol of the RCT continued to extend invitations to members and began to visit RCUT.

Read the story as it was published at the local press. It tells it all. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian. 

Reviewing the members' attitudes, policies, morals, and definitions of misbehavior will be necessary if no misconduct is discovered. The accused have assumed that their inaction is acceptable, which has led to additional harassment of anyone who stands in their way. This includes requests for the District Governor of District 3860 to require the closure of the RCT. It is essential that these issues be addressed seriously to prevent further escalation. When he said "NO!", the three complainants filed libel charges against Luela Bantol, who was the president during the events in question. It is important to note that libel laws in the Philippines allow the complainant to file either a criminal case, a civil case, or both. In this instance, they chose to file only civil charges, seeking 500,000 pesos from each defendant, which amounts to about $10,000—a significant sum by Philippine cost-of-living standards. In fact, George, you are entirely correct. Are there any judges in the world who have sentenced a Rotary president for performing her duties? Her duties included the cancellation of memberships for non-payment of dues and for failure to attend regular meetings for a period exceeding six months. Isn't that an example of inappropriate behavior? I would describe it as harassment—harassment—harassment!Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.  Finally, I would like to address the following: This blog has been running for over a year, and the same points are being repeated. Is it still serving a purpose? The answer is both yes and no. If your main concern is the financial aspect, George, that's no longer an issue. The money is gone—vanished—and no one will face consequences for it. This blog won't bring it back. As I mentioned before, it was just Rotary funds. Now, the focus has shifted to misbehavior, which has caused more harm than the original embezzlement ever did. Evan ILIADIS - Diaries of a former Rotarian.

City of Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines

THE  CASSATE DROUGHT RELIEF RIPOFF.

CORY ANNE VERGE FLIP-FLOPS AS A VAP MANAGER IN HER SECOND JOB.

the Cassate drought relief ripoff. In 2006, Dave Collins and Derek Pyrah expressed their dissatisfaction with the insufficient funds in the VAP account in the Philippines. I have several emails in my records that illustrate their concerns. In these emails, they discuss potential methods to increase their income "for the poor and needy," as their fundraising efforts through Rotary were not yielding the desired results. This situation is part of what I refer to as the "Cassate drought relief ripoff."
the Cassate drought relief ripoff.

The matching grand applications for the TRF were slow to process and felt overly bureaucratic for someone as anxious as Collins could be. Searching for immediate results, they decided to fabricate a crisis similar to the Darfur situation in the northern part of the island, specifically in a place called Ubay within the village of Cassate. It’s crucial to remember the key issue:
he Cassate drought relief ripoff.

The plan was to expand on an existing, well-known problem where the people involved could be easily manipulated through strong emotions.the Cassate drought relief ripoff.

In that village, an American missionary established an organization called Crossworld, which is affiliated with a Christian denomination. Her organization built a camp there, transforming it into a modern 30-hectare facility amidst the typical poverty found in the Philippines. However, the camp seemed to lack a clear purpose beyond offering some services to children in exchange for having to study the Bible. I visited the Karr Camp, its official name, and interviewed Cory Anne for the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran website, as she was a member of this club. During my visit, I didn’t observe any particular compassion towards the poor and needy. In fact, I learned that there were instances where she charged fees for certain activities.  the Cassate drought relief ripoff.

When Derek visited her camp, he was very excited about what he saw. The first thing he likely did was check the assets and numbers of her organization, CrossWorld.org, which everyone can consult online. However, Collins was hesitant to nominate her as "manager," fearing it might lead to other preferences that could be detrimental to him. Eventually, she was nominated, and like any manager of the VAP, she was awarded the PHF. This was part of Derek’s strategy to demonstrate to the donors how serious his organization is and who manages it. However, I never knew who was giving him the award—perhaps he was awarding himself...

Back to our Darfur project, the journey has not been easy for the team. As you can see from the emails exchanged, Cory Ann has once again become a source of conflict. Collins was upset about Pyrah's direct contact with her, as he felt she should have gone through him first. However, this was not the only disagreement they faced. As you read through the correspondence, it becomes clear that they were all searching for the best approach to make the Darfur initiative a reality, hoping to attract donors to support their efforts. Read on and make your own judgment.

If exaggerated actions as these were common by the “brothers” I didn’t know that it was done  with the blessing of the “sister”. 

She was fully aware of the entire scam. Initially, she disagreed with it, but after giving it a second thought and facing some pressure, she said, “I do.” Why? Collins and Pyrah couldn’t find anyone else as credible as Cory to endorse the "Darfour" operation, which they framed as a critical situation, claiming that if they didn’t act, hundreds of children would die from starvation. Starvation in the Philippines? While malnutrition is indeed an issue, there have been no recorded deaths from starvation in the country, except for a few isolated cases.

As for her benefits from this operation, she gained something her church typically prohibited: a budget to maintain daycare feeding programs in Cassate, as well as the ability to take a child to the hospital occasionally “for the picture,” so the VAP could raise a hundred times the amount she spent.

The Operation Cassate drought relief proved profitable; substantial funds were contributed by various clubs, from Manila to Cebu, as well as from the US, Canada, Australia, corporations, and individuals. Do you know what these children received? A plastic bag they called a "bundle of joy," distributed in three deliveries.

Do you know what a “bundle of joy” is? It’s the one that children hold up for a picture. Each bundle includes a plastic bag containing 1 kilogram of rice, which costs 20 pesos in 2006, two cans of sardines for 10 pesos, and one pack of noodles for 5 pesos. The total cost for each bag is 35 pesos, which is equivalent to about 70 cents in US dollars.

The pack of milk shown in the photo was donated by a corporation in Manila. There were only 200 children present, which means the total cost per delivery was $140. However, if we take Derek's estimate of 500 children, the cost would increase to $350. Additionally, I’ll consider Collins’ claim that he made 5 deliveries instead of the 3 reported by other sources. This brings the total cost to $1,750.

How much they raised is unknown. They instructed the donors to arrange the payment here:

To themselves, instead of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran account. Cory Anne knew it because she was also instructed to direct donations –if any- to this account. But she still continues to collaborate with them. Shame on you!!! Look at the list at your left. It's only partial but brought more than 20,000 dollars in cash plus some goodies from corporations. From one club only in Hawaii they received $900.00 

 

Of-course, no such account bearing the name of RC of Tagbilaran existed. Collins pretended that he never received his mail. The truth is that he didn't know what to tell him about the account name. George did not understand what RWACS VAP account was, it didn't make sense to him and sent it to RC of Tagbilaran / VAP and was rejected. I forwarded his mail to Collins and eventually the money was wired. To the RAWCS/VAP account.

That's where the donors were instructed to wire donations.Cory Anne knew that this was a rip-off, she was included as a recipient in this mail. She accepted the job. Look at this mail They instructed the donors to send to an account that the rotary Club of Tagbilaran had no idea of its existence.

 

 

ONE MORE THING To the RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) and particularly to Len Bolden former Chairman for the last 3 and half years and treasurer Jack Elliott: the Cassate drought relief ripoff.

Gentlemen, as you can read, they had –and probably still have it- an account named RAWCS /VAP in a bank in the Philippines with custodians Dave Collins and Dioscoro UY PP of RCT and manager of this bank. How can one open such an account in their names? To my knowledge, and the principle is the same all over the world, to open a corporate account the bank requires corporation constitution documents, directors, manager and more. Have you authorized Collins and Uy to use your entity for the opening of a bank account under the name of RAWCS? He - Derek Pyrah - was directing them to a similar account to his website until removed. My revelations obliged…. the Cassate drought relief ripoff.

M

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Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. The trial part 1.

Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. The trial part 1. The Price to pay. Our masters' recipe on how to punish a president.

By Evan Iliadis former Rotarian member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran wrote: Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. The trial part 1.

Rotarians and friends, I find myself here again after a long break, observing the events unfolding in Bohol. What I see is unusual and incomprehensible, resembling a masquerade taking place in a court of law in Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines.

Conflicts, misunderstandings, and rivalries naturally arise within any group working toward a common goal—be it a club, a church, or a fraternity. Often, these conflicts lead to excluding one party to preserve the unity of the group. Unfortunately, such exclusion is not always well-planned or justified. The last place one would expect this to occur is within Rotary International. Is this the first time it has happened? We cannot say for certain. One shouldn't rely on Rotary to disclose such information, nor on active Rotarians. It seems to be a secret.
 

Here is the complaint.

Give me a glass of wine please!

At the center of this unusual story are I, Evan Iliadis, a former member of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran, and Derek Pyrah, who served as the chairman of the now-defunct Village Aide Program (VAP). Additionally, there are Dave and Baby Collins, who were the managers of VAP in the Philippines and also wanted to take control of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. There are a few others to be introduced shortly. 

As I mentioned on the previous page, I've received all kinds of emails, but I've never specifically addressed one that has come from both critics and supporters. They have been accusing me of covering up the activities of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. 

I claim that no one in the club was aware of the embezzlement involving Collins and Derek Pyrah concerning Matching Grants money and donations. One person stated, "Evan, I don’t know of a Rotary Club anywhere in the world that doesn’t include at least one accountant, a lawyer, and a few businessmen who are familiar with accounting and business practices. If you look at the classifications of the members in your club, they were all there."

Indeed, it was a very embarrassing remark. However, it comes from someone who has no understanding of how a typical club functions in the developing world, particularly in the Philippines. This topic may require a separate discussion, which I might provide in a future update or later on.

Interestingly, the most regrettable comment on this subject did not come from a Rotarian, but rather from an outsider who has been following the events from the beginning and is now closely monitoring the court proceedings. He seems confused about what is happening, who is involved, and what everyone wants—and why. Frankly, I have been somewhat disturbed by his remarks and questions directed at me. I feel compelled to address the situation honestly and openly, as I constantly strive to do.

Before I respond to this individual and review the trial proceedings, I owe you the update I promised a long time ago. To provide this update, we need to revisit the 3860 District Conference held in Cebu in March 2008. At that conference, the jubilant District Governor Yumi Espina believed he had achieved so much during his tenure that he deserved to host a lavish party at district expense, combining elements of both Persepolis and Hollywood.

The "dream team" from Canada that he brought in for the event included a controversial Past District Governor who claimed to be “the personal envoy of the Rotary International president.” Additionally, there was a Rotary representative from the UN, along with two or three other Past Presidents and Past District Governors who had gained some recognition in their hometowns in Canada for bringing along a few used laptops — which were obsolete in Canada and discarded there before being sent to the Philippines. Of course, there was also a mix of local Rotarians and other guests in attendance.

The abundance of gourmet food and drinks, dancers, parades, men in military uniform forming a sword canopy for the introduction of the big shots, speeches, and crocodile tears about the poor the dream team wowed “to change all that” “Son et lumière” effects and much more. (Please let me know if the life of the poor Cebuano has changed ever since)… The event appeared for a while on the District’s website with more than 300 photos then disappeared, not even cached pages can be found apart from 2 or 3  bad quality clips on YouTube not worth a referral. Oh well… who cares about dream teams anymore…

Derek Pyrah was determined to make significant changes within the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran (RCT). He had two main objectives: first, to put the RCT out of business so that Collins could start a new club from scratch; second, to address the initial failure of the club, which was considered too ambitious and difficult to achieve. He intended to pressure District Governor Yumi Espina to rehabilitate former Rotarians Dave and Baby Collins, along with Deo Dioscoro, and help them find a new club within the district. To achieve these goals, he developed a clever plan that he carefully implemented as follows:

He arrived at the event with his own “dream team” from Australia, including PDG Bill Litle and a few others. In addition to a camera, they brought along a set of drums, some rice, cans of sardines, and a few t-shirts. He set up inside the convention, showcasing his typical dramatic pictures and PowerPoint presentations that left many attendees in tears. But that wasn't all! He also had two Paul Harris Fellow awards in his suitcase, which he purchased for Dave and Baby Collins. (Keep in mind, he was a Matching Grants trader, which allowed him to receive a significant discount.)

He was planning to use them as the most powerful weapon, thinking it would create significant confusion when used in the presence of Rotarians from about 90 clubs. He believed that all my efforts against the crooks would become obsolete, forcing the Rotary Club Team (RCT) to adopt a more aggressive stance against me. Furthermore, he thought, "Let’s kiss each other now, and to hell with this traitor, Evan."

On March 14, 2008, they executed the first step of the conspiracy using John Van Laar, the Past District Rotary Governor, somewhere in Canada. He presented the Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) award, which had been purchased by Pyrah, to David Collins, announcing him as a member of the RCT. He also recognized Baby Collins as a member of the Rotary Club of Cebu, all in the presence of many RCT members during the DISCON event where the ceremony took place.

 

But the truth is, none of the recipients was a member of the RCT. They deserted it in October of 2007 to avoid answering questions, and stripped of their membership in January 2008. As you’ll soon have the opportunity to see the letter of termination.

Even worse, how Baby Collins became a member of the Rotary club of Cebu without prior clearance.

 

The truth is that none of the recipients were members of the RCT (Rotary Club of Tagbilaran). They deserted the organization in October 2007 to avoid answering questions and had their membership revoked in January 2008, as you will see in the termination letter.

 

Even more concerning is how Baby Collins became a member of the Rotary Club of Cebu without the prior clearance and recommendation from her original club, the RCT, which is required by Rotary bylaws. Collins claims they were unaware of their termination. Did Governor Espina not know either? 

 

If the governor is not aware of who is in or out of his district, then who is? Rotarians were well aware of the situation; however, it seems they chose to pretend otherwise to undermine the RCT. Their strategy was successful. After the award ceremony, the “family photo” was taken, highlighting the divide. 

And recommendation of her original club to the RCT as required by the Rotary bylaws? They –Collins – say they didn’t know about their termination. Didn’t they? Governor Espina didn’t know? If the governor doesn’t know who’s in who’s out of his district, who does? Rotarians, trust me, they all knew, but it was in their agenda to pretend not to, in an attempt to ambush the RCT. And it worked. After the award ceremony, the“ family photo” was

taken as seen above with the capture published to the VAP website.I promptly dismantled their plans and falsehoods by updating my website to share the truth with the world. However, what I conveyed mattered less than the future direction of the RCT. A significant challenge lies ahead for inexperienced, low-profile Rotarians in the third-world who are recipients of Derek Pyrah’s rice and sardines, as they face a group of predators skilled in subtle manipulation and conspiracies from the first world.

Next, the group implemented part two of their conspiracy. They brought both “dream teams” to Bohol to “witness for themselves how life on this island has improved thanks to those saviors sent by God to alleviate the misery.” One has to wonder what the poor would have endured without their help!

 

 In reality, Pyrah and Collins did not bring them to Bohol for the reasons they claimed; their true intention was to assert their dominance over the RCT, sending a clear message: “submit or die.” These high-profile Rotarians would not even acknowledge you unless you complied with their demands, which included reinstating Collins and, most importantly, openly denouncing the traitor Evan Iliadis, who had instigated this conflict against them. They entirely ignored the RCT and, even more so, the other club, RCUT. In fact, they had not visited either.

Once the dust settled in the days following the attack, the group realized that the RCT had not suffered any harm as they had anticipated. Desperate to justify the money and time spent firing at the RCT, Collins launched his final assault. Through his lawyer, he issued a summons to DG Yumi Espina, asking him to delist the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran based on vague and unfounded claims. Espina rejected the request, not out of sympathy for the club, but out of fear of repercussions from Rotary International, which was struggling to increase its membership. The last thing they needed was a governor closing a club!

It became clear to everyone that the evil team’s demolition plan had failed to produce results; however, that was what everyone believed at the time.

Another glass of wine please!             

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