KOR Eastern USA Leadership Collapses Amid Signature, Promotion Controversy

A leadership crisis within the Knights of Rizal’s Eastern USA Region has deepened, with a growing number of senior officers resigning amid allegations that New York State Area Commander Rely Manacay used or caused the use of Regional Commander Dr. Emmanuel Malasig’s digital signature without his authorization on a controversial promotion recommendation.

The disputed signature has emerged as the central issue behind a widening wave of resignations involving top officers of the Eastern USA Region.

Malasig previously alleged that his digital signature was “pasted” onto a promotion recommendation for Astoria Chapter Commander Ali Illaga without his knowledge, consent or approval. A recommendation document reviewed by The Filipino Reporters appears to contain Malasig’s digital signature, although Malasig maintains that he did not authorize its use on the document.

Malasig has specifically accused Rely Manacay, the New York State KOR Area Commander, of placing or using the signature on the recommendation.

The Filipino Reporters reached out to Manacay for comment, but he did not respond to the request.

The controversy intensified after the disputed recommendation was reportedly forwarded to the Knights of Rizal International Headquarters in Manila, and the promotion was allowed to proceed despite Malasig’s objections.

Malasig eventually resigned as Eastern USA Regional Commander, saying he could no longer effectively exercise the authority of his office after what he described as violations of procedure, pressure from senior officials and the reversal of his decision to defer the promotion.

His resignation was followed by a cascade of departures from the Eastern USA Regional Council.

Deputy Regional Commander Ceasar Barangan, KGOR, resigned after the Special International Assembly in Manila, saying he witnessed what he described as a disregard for traditional protocol and the rule of law in order to favor one individual.

Barangan accused the organization of allowing a merit-based promotion system to be replaced by “patronage and whom-you-know politics.”

“The total disregard of the traditional protocol and rule of law to favor one person has left a bitter taste in my mouth,” Barangan said in his resignation letter.

Sir Vicente Gesmundo, KCR, younger brother of Philippine Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, also resigned as Eastern USA Regional Deputy Pursuivant, citing principle, conscience and solidarity with Malasig.

Sir Mariano F. Aquino Jr., KGOR, LM, stepped down as Chancellor of the Eastern USA Region, citing integrity, accountability and his support for Malasig’s leadership.

Regional Pursuivant Sir Sonny Austria, KGOR, resigned effective August 18 and directly urged the Trustees of the Knights of Rizal Supreme Council to investigate the disputed signature.

Austria described the incident, based on Malasig’s account, as a potentially “fraudulent transaction” involving a signature allegedly pasted onto a recommendation form without the Regional Commander’s consent.

He said that if the allegation is substantiated, the conduct would run contrary to the Knights of Rizal’s Code of Ethics, which states that “A Rizalist is truthful and honest in thought, word and deed.”

Regional Exchequer Sir Levi Tejada Sr., KGOR, also resigned, pointing directly to the alleged manipulation of the promotion process and the purported unauthorized use of the digital signature.

Tejada said that when a digital signature is used without authorization for the purpose of obtaining a promotion, influence or status, it raises serious questions about integrity and possible fraud.

He also questioned the rapid elevation of a Knight to the fourth-degree rank of KGOR after only several months as a KCR, saying such advancement ordinarily requires exceptional merit and endorsements through the chapter, area and regional levels before reaching the Supreme Council.

Ed Tolosa, KGOR, Executive Director of the KOR USA Eastern Region, likewise tendered his resignation and thanked Malasig for the trust and support extended to him during his tenure.

Meanwhile, Judge Victor Sesion, KGOR, Eastern USA Regional Legal Adviser, praised Malasig for resigning on principle and suggested that the controversy could ultimately force the organization to confront practices inconsistent with Rizalian ideals.

The growing number of resignations has transformed what began as a dispute over one promotion recommendation into a broader crisis over authority, accountability, due process and the credibility of the Knights of Rizal’s promotion system.

At the center of the controversy remains one unresolved question: Who authorized the use of Malasig’s digital signature on the promotion recommendation?

Malasig has pointed to Manacay.

The resigning officers are now calling, directly or indirectly, for the Supreme Council to determine how the signature was placed on the document, who authorized its submission and whether the promotion complied with established Knights of Rizal procedures.

Until those questions are independently investigated and answered, the alleged unauthorized use of Malasig’s signature will continue to cast a shadow over the promotion controversy and the leadership of the Knights of Rizal’s Eastern USA Region.