Five days after PCC second bout of balloting on 16 March which saw Sayas step aside to give way to Collado’s default win, a mysterious email floated around the email loop.

On 21 March a press release titled “Sayas Ousted from PCC” was circulated anonymously on the email loop to the community.  However, the facts contained in the so called release had no semblance to the truth nor did it carry the byline of the writer.  The email address was filpressyd@gmail.com and no ownership was declared.  

On 22 March, I brought the email to the attention of Mr. Pimentel, who is responsible for the Filpress Sydney group.  He was quick to respond that the group had “nothing to do with it.”  He further denied that the filpressyd@gmail belonged to the Filpress group or to any of its members.  The group uses a yahoo group email and members use their private emails, none of whom own the above-mentioned email address.  

Almost two weeks of much rambling and prodding behind the scenes, Ms. Collado, current PCC President, finally released an ‘open letter’ on 6 April which contained a few inaccuracies.  What’s more, the letter simply restated what had already transpired.  All it tried to do was soften an aggrieved Sayas and butter up the media and others.  However, it failed to do the most important thing – and that is to strongly denounce the writer of the malicious article.  It did not declare PCC’s stand on such insanity nor did it outline the steps it would take to smoke out the source.  

What is obvious is that whoever penned the article is no writer.  The individual could not differentiate  between a news release and an opinion piece. What was also obvious was that whoever wrote it was licking up to Collado and had an axe to grind with Sayas, hence the accusations and misrepresentations.  Obvious too was the choice of recipients.  They had the email addresses of the PCC directors, the media, but did not include  Pimentel.

Whoever the source is, has painstakingly gone out of their way to register an email address to hide their identity and misrepresented  themselves.  That’s stealing someone else’s identity.  It is cybercrime and should be taken very seriously.  This is the work not just of a prankster but of a sociopath. 

A sociopath has a disordered personality.  They are manipulative, opportunistic and exhibit no remorse, shame or guilt.  They are social predators with a propensity to twist facts and lie.  They can be very charming on the onset and can ingratiate themselves quickly.  The reality is they are dangerous and they’ve been circling the community for unsuspecting victims as their prey for a number of years.

It’s also not the first time that malicious hate emails /faxes have been circulated around without a corresponding signatory by the disorderlies and the gutless. The culprits have been exposed in the past – but given a little time, small pockets in the  community have turned the blind eye or swept it under the rug.  Those needing favours simply warmed up and took them in again with their sweet-talking not realizing that they have just resurrected the sociopath. 

If only the so-called community leaders had the courage to eliminate them completely once and for all.

To think they’re right in our midst – now that’s really frightening!