In the spirit of fair play, below is the sixth part of a series on the reply of ASA Philippines to the articles that came out from 5 to 11 November based on interviews of its former President and chief executive officer Kamrul Tarafder and his provided documents:
Kamrul: "Kamrul reported to the ASA Board immediately after learning of the first threat received on 2 April 2024.
Kamrul then requested from the ASA Board a budget for the security of his family and expenses for the investigation.
The ASA Board granted a budget of P10 million with a proposal that Kamrul and his family leave the country temporarily, this coming close to the Annual General Membership Meeting of the Foundation barely a month away.
The release of the P10 million security budget was also delayed. In the meantime, Kamrul and Simon purchased an armored vehicle and hired additional security detail out of their own money. This action again did not sit well with the ASA Board and was taken against Kamrul.
ASA Board also immediately engaged the services of a foreign 'security consultant' to supposedly assist in the threat assessment and investigation in the person of Mr. David Mundy of Associated Risk.
Kamrul initially agreed to a Threat Assessment by the said agency but soon objected when Simon discovered the phone previously delivered to him as part of the threat materials was brought into the country from Thailand, also where the CEO of the Security Agency was based.
And the local partners of the Security Agency had a reputation for corruption.”
ASA Philippines: Upon receiving Mr. Kamrul's request for an unlimited (security) budget, Ambassador Cuisia immediately consulted with Ambassador Dee, and they jointly agreed to approve an interim P10 Million security budget until the Board could formally convene. This amount was intended to enable him (Kamrul) to relocate with his family and implement security measures. Funds were made available to Mr. Kamrul almost immediately.
Moreover, Ambassador Cuisia informed Mr. Kamrul that this was a preliminary amount and that he could request more from the Board if needed. However, instead of using the funds for relocation or to properly enhance personal security for his entire family, Mr. Kamrul immediately used P8 million, or 80 percent of the "security budget" to buy a bulletproof luxury sports utility vehicle, i.e. Cadillac Escalade.
The balance of P2 million, or 20 percent of the "security budget" was all that Mr. Kamrul effectively allotted for his and his family's security.
The Articles also overlook that Mr. Kamrul later requested for an unlimited budget again, then modified it by submitting a proposal for approximately P37 million without providing concrete evidence of the threats he claimed.
It is the security proposal from a firm Mr. Kamrul had solicited, which included a P3 million consultancy fee and required P34.195 million for the requisite equipment.
This proposal was analyzed and ultimately declined, based on input from seasoned security professionals.
An alternative proposal in line with industry best practices was then approved, and deployed for the protection of Mr. Kamrul and his family.
When Mr. Kamrul submitted documentation in June 2024, of the alleged threats received on 2 and 10 April, months after repeated requests from the Foundation, it was revealed that the threats were, in fact, directed at his son, Mr. Simon — an important detail Mr. Kamrul withheld from the Board from the time that he requested funding for his security arrangements.
The supposed evidence of the threats such as the phone allegedly sent by the threat actors, and the car trackers allegedly affixed to their vehicles were never turned over to the Foundation for forensic examination.
Only copies of the threatening letters and photos were belatedly shared with the Foundation months after the funds for Mr. Kamrul's security arrangements were deployed, and the investigation initiated by the Foundation had started.
Given the substantial amount being requested by Mr. Kamrul, the Board engaged an independent threat assessment firm to ensure responsible resource allocation.
The assertion that Mr. Kamrul's actions "did not sit well with the ASA Board" is false; the Board acted with genuine concern for his safety, striving to balance security needs with fiscal accountability.
Any suggestion of ill will misrepresent the Foundation's intentions, which were focused on ensuring Mr. Kamrul's protection through a well-managed process.