Replying to the group’s allegations with a “Dear Friends” letter July 24, Dr. Lorica said the charges were initiated by a group in the PMA who have kept sole possession of its finances so “they could dictate policy for the entire organization without any independent oversight.”

He said the dispute started “when I reasserted Presidential control over the PMA finances as mandated by our constitution. Since then, they have mounted a campaign of malicious rumors and innuendo in order to raise undue concern among the rest of the membership.”

Dr. Lorica said this group has consistently refused for the past 10 years to audit the PMA books to allay any fears of financial improprieties” and that the “treasurer, Dr. Stuart Goodman did not agree to this.”

As for the financial report, Dr. Lorica said “the financial report is already in the possession of Dr. Goodman.

He said that this group had tried very hard to undermine his leadership in the Philippine festival committee and the community’s celebration of the centennial last month. He deplored what he termed as the “public smear campaign against him” by this group.

Dr. Lorica confirmed that he had at one point submitted his resignation in disgust over the actions of this group. But he said the PMA Executive Board asked him to stay on. He deplored what he called was the public smear campaign against him.

He expressed hope that the community will realize that this group is not the PMA because most members are focused on community-building and upliftment. He said he will continue to do this work for the community.

This is the first time in the more than 35-year history of the PMA that some members of the organization rose up in arms against its president.

Groups sympathetic to the Loricas said this move was staged mostly by older members of PMA who have been left out in the activities of the organization led by younger members. They said the Loricas have brought about some innovations which have led to the group’s closer involvement with the entire Filipino American community in the greater Washington D.C. area.

They accused Dr. Lorica, who led this year’s successful Philippine Independence Day Committee in Washington D.C., of making “ a mockery of our association and its Constitution” by allegedly failing to make an accounting of the New Year’s  Eve Ball seven months after the event and for reportedly opening a new PMA account and making himself the only signer in the account.

The signatories said Dr. Lorica, allegedly in violation of the charter, appointed Dr. Alex Fangonil as parliamentarian and his wife, Dr. Arlene Lorica as executive director  who traditionally should be nonpartisan, knowledgeable of the PMA constitution and a past president.

They said that in a meeting on May 20, a proposal for the “impeachment of the president” on the basis of the alleged constitutional violations was approved by 16 of the members present. They said “the president, who did not want to go through the next step, which is a trial, resigned on the spot.” Dr. Lorica said this meeting was ruled illegal by the board.

The signatories said the president failed to settle all the issues against him up to July 4.

They said that not only had Dr. Lorica ‘started to destroy the association. He has ruined relationships, too, as PMA members who have been friends for all those years have developed animosities towards each other and are now forced to take sides.”

Among the signatories are Drs. Rene Alvir, Reynaldo Lee Llacer, Cristeta Magpantay, Rogelio Sion, H. F. Nicodemus, Emma Daccquel, L. C. Maguigad, Rodolfo Lopez, Samuel Aguhob, Rene and Delia Buenvenida, Manolita Balassa, Juliet Naldo,, Jimmy Cordero Esther Matias and others.