Court stops expulsion of former Rotary chapter president

MANILA, Philippines - A Makati City regional trial court has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the Rotary Club of Manila from expelling its former president, Benjamin Santos.

Santos, in a statement sent to The STAR, said the case stemmed from an allegation that during his term, he failed to disclose his corporate interest in a firm from which the club purchased a biometric machine worth P177,000.

He said he made the disclosure, confirmed by then secretary Rico Domingo, and the order did not push through and the payment was returned.

He said that the notice of expulsion – served last March 14 – is not final and executory because the RCM board did not observe due process.

Santos accused incumbent RCM president Banit Caasi of orchestrating the resolution “to expel me without an impartial investigation.”

He said his lawyers are considering filing contempt charges against the RCM board for allegedly violating the April 3 TRO, issued by Judge Cesar Untalan, for disseminating information about his alleged expulsion during a board meeting last April 19.