KOR Regional Commander Quits, Says Integrity Was Compromised

NEW YORK - A leadership dispute inside the Knights of Rizal has escalated following the resignation of Eastern USA Regional Commander Dr. Emmanuel Malasig, who alleges that his digital signature was used without authorization in connection with a controversial promotion recommendation.

Malasig, MD, KGOR, LM, resigned from his leadership post while remaining a member of the Order, saying he could no longer effectively exercise the authority of his office after what he described as repeated violations of proper procedure, pressure from senior officials and the eventual reversal of a decision to defer the promotion.

At the center of the controversy is the elevation of Astoria Chapter Commander Ali Illaga, whose promotion recommendation became the subject of questions over authorization, procedure and the use of Malasig’s signature.

A recommendation document obtained by The Filipino Reporters appears to contain Malasig’s digital signature on a promotion recommendation that was forwarded to the Knights of Rizal International Headquarters in Manila.

Malasig said he never authorized the use of the signature.

He alleged that New York State KOR Area Commander Rely Manacay used or placed his digital signature on the recommendation without first obtaining his approval.

Malasig further said the recommendation was forwarded without an endorsement letter from him as Eastern USA Regional Commander and without the matter first being properly discussed with his office.

The allegation raises a central question in the dispute: Who had the authority to submit and approve the promotion recommendation, and who authorized the use of Malasig’s signature?

Pressure to “Let It Pass”

According to Malasig, senior officials subsequently urged him to overlook the disputed recommendation.

He said he was told to “just let it pass” - “palusutin na lang natin ’yan” in what he described as an effort to accommodate higher-ranking personalities and prevent further controversy within the organization.

Malasig said that after considerable pressure, he eventually agreed to allow the matter to move forward.

But the controversy did not end there.

Before the recent Special International Assembly, Malasig said the matter came under review by the Council of Elders.

During that review, he said members questioned whether his signature had indeed been placed on the recommendation without his prior authorization.

The Council also questioned why Illaga’s promotion was being considered when, according to Malasig, Illaga had reportedly been in his then-current rank of Knight Commander of Rizal, or KCR, the third degree of the Order, for only about four to five months.

Malasig told the Council that his signature had been affixed to the recommendation without his prior authorization and that the proposed promotion should have first been discussed through the proper leadership channels.

Following the review, Malasig said the Council of Elders decided: “This promotion is deferred.”

Decision Allegedly Reversed Days Later

Despite that decision, Malasig said pressure over the promotion continued.

The promotion was not carried out during the organization’s scheduled awarding of promotions.

However, Malasig said the deferment was reversed just four days later after he was informed that “a few members of the Council of Elders agreed to overturn the decision.”

Illaga’s promotion was subsequently carried out at the Westin Residences Hall, according to Malasig.

Malasig further alleged that a member of the Supreme Council owns a unit at the property.

The circumstances surrounding that later ceremony have raised additional questions about who authorized the reversal, whether the majority of Council of Elders formally reconsidered its earlier decision, and whether the process complied with the Order’s established promotion procedures.

Questions Over Regional Authority

For Malasig, the dispute became about more than one promotion.

In his resignation message, he said his decision was made “with a profoundly heavy heart, but with a clear conscience.”

He said the controversy concerned principles that went to the heart of the organization.

“It is about something far more fundamental: principle, honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, due process, and the integrity of the Order we have sworn to uphold.”

Malasig said the episode left him questioning whether a Regional Commander still had meaningful authority if recommendations could be submitted using the commander’s signature without permission and decisions could later proceed despite the commander’s objections.

Broader Promotion Concerns

The controversy has also placed a spotlight on the Knights of Rizal’s broader promotion system.

Malasig said hundreds of members around the world have been waiting for elevation to the fourth-degree rank, with some reportedly waiting for years and, in certain cases, nearly a decade.

Against that background, he questioned how Illaga’s promotion was able to proceed so quickly despite what he described as the absence of his approval as Eastern USA Regional Commander and the Council of Elders’ initial decision to defer the promotion.

The allegations raise questions about fairness, transparency, accountability and consistency in the promotion process, particularly if different standards were applied to different members.

Unanswered Questions

The documents and allegations reviewed by The Filipino Reporters leave several significant questions unanswered:

Who prepared the disputed promotion recommendation?

Who placed or authorized Malasig’s digital signature on the document?

Who transmitted the recommendation to International Headquarters in Manila?

Was Malasig’s approval required before the recommendation could move forward?

Why did the Council of Elders initially defer the promotion?

Who later authorized the reversal of that decision?

Was there a formal vote or written resolution overturning the deferment?

Was any internal investigation opened into the alleged unauthorized use of Malasig’s signature?

The allegations may also raise questions about possible fraud or misrepresentation if it is established that an official’s signature was knowingly used without authorization or that approval was represented as having been granted when it had not.

They may likewise raise questions about compliance with the Knights of Rizal’s internal rules, regulations and procedures.

Any determination that criminal, civil or organizational violations occurred would require further investigation and evidence.

Malasig Walks Away From Leadership, Not the Order

Malasig said the controversy ultimately left him unable to defend the authority and responsibilities attached to his position.

He therefore chose to resign from the regional leadership post.

But he stressed that he is not resigning from the Knights of Rizal and intends to remain committed to the ideals of Dr. José Rizal.

“I would rather walk away from a position with my integrity intact than remain in one where integrity must be compromised,” Malasig said.

The resignation now places renewed pressure on the Knights of Rizal leadership to explain how the disputed recommendation was processed, whether Malasig’s signature was authorized, why the promotion proceeded after initially being deferred, and whether the Order intends to conduct a formal investigation into the controversy.

The Filipino Reporters is seeking responses from the individuals and officials named in the allegations. Their statements will be included when received.