Prospective Conservative candidate Jojo Quimpo’s resumé draws scrutiny

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      Francisco “Jojo” Quimpo is getting a fair bit of attention lately.

      It’s not that the former long-time downtown Vancouver paralegal is unaccustomed to this. He’s well known in the Filipino-Canadian community. He organizes cultural festivals, and he is a musical performer.

      But given the 40-something man’s present plan, the attention he’s been attracting recently isn’t likely the type someone in his situation wishes.

      Quimpo wants to be a nominated as the Conservative Party of Canada’s candidate in Vancouver Kingsway for next year’s federal election.

      However, his critics are raising questions about his stated academic credentials.

      On May 31, urban designer and photographer Bert Morelos wrote Conservative party officials about these concerns after failing to get Quimpo to respond to him.

      The letter was addressed to Dean Trinh, president of the Conservative party association in Vancouver Kingsway, and John Walsh, national president.

      In the letter, Morelos noted that based on LinkedIn and Facebook postings, it would appear that Quimpo was attending two different postsecondary programs—law in Manila and paralegal in West Vancouver—at the same time at one point.

      Morelos also told Conservative party officials that Quimpo had claimed to have taken up an engineering program at a branch of a Philippine university that doesn’t offer such degree.

      In an interview, Morelos said his letter was co-signed by at least 70 other members of the Filipino-Canadian community belonging to different political persuasions.

      “If he knows that he has padded his credentials, the best thing for him to do is pull out his nomination bid,” Morelos told the Straight by phone on June 2.

      According to Morelos, the Conservative party should look into Quimpo’s credentials as well.

      “Mr. Quimpo is not an asset,” Morelos said in the interview. “He’s a liability to his party.”

      Quimpo maintains that the inconsistencies were inadvertent errors.

      According to Quimpo, he brought back from his recent travel to the Philippines school documents that will settle questions about his credentials.

      “Hopefully, it would be clarified,” Quimpo told the Straight by phone on June 3.

      He maintained that there was no deliberate misrepresentation. He recalled that he immigrated to Canada in 1996 as a young adult.

      According to Quimpo, he attended Capilano University for his paralegal studies between 2000 and 2001. He said that his studies in the Philippines terminated in 1996 shortly before moving to Canada.

      He admitted that at first, he was apprehensive that questions about him would affect his sign-up drive for the nomination. But according to him, that didn’t turn out to be the case.

      “When I talk to people, they keep on telling me, like, 'You know what? You’re doing the right thing,'” Quimpo said.

      Is this a simple case of misunderstanding that can be settled by an old-fashioned sit-down between two Canadians who are both proud of their Filipino roots?

      “I think this can be resolved, but he has to admit that he made a mistake,” Morelos said in a follow-up phone interview on June 3.

      Quimpo said: “We’re planning to talk.”

      Comments

      79 Comments

      Papa Hemmorhoid

      Jun 5, 2014 at 12:00pm

      The Cons should keep him.

      Sounds like their kinda guy.

      Bert Quibuyen

      Jun 5, 2014 at 2:01pm

      Any Filipino interested in running for public office will be under careful scrutiny because he will be the face of the Filipino community. Therefore it is important that there's no misrepresentation on the part of the aspirant. Bert Morelos has raised issues over Jojo Quimpo's educational background, and I think those are valid issues. Jojo Quimpo has to come forward and respond in order to remove any doubts to his credibility.

      JD

      Jun 5, 2014 at 3:23pm

      Quimpo maintains that the inconsistencies were inadvertent errors.

      “I think this can be resolved, but he has to admit that he made a mistake,” Morelos said in a follow-up phone interview on June 3.

      I guess comprehension is a difficulty in this community as well.

      KiD

      Jun 5, 2014 at 4:23pm

      Sounds like a case of miscommunication - one admitted that there was a mistake and the other won't accept any reasoning; this unless the article is incomplete.

      Lowell

      Jun 5, 2014 at 5:06pm

      I had to look up the meaning of "inadvertent errors". Maybe the errors are unintentional but definitely this issue is a liability because it creates doubt to the public. You simply can't have that versus a juggernaut like Don Davies.

      The Colonel

      Jun 5, 2014 at 11:39pm

      This could very well just be the “Tip of the Iceberg”. Indeed, accuracy of information is important for those running for public office, whether Filipinos or not. On the other hand, it could be very enlightening for everyone, if the motive of the critic gets scrutinized too.
      “The motive behind criticism often determines its validity. Those who care, criticize where necessary. Those who envy, criticize the moment they think that they have found a weak spot.”

      arsi

      Jun 5, 2014 at 11:40pm

      Come on guys... you do errors on ur resume and u won't get hired. What more on errors for running for public office? How irresponsible can u get?

      JR

      Jun 6, 2014 at 12:04am

      If you are running for a public office, trust is crucial. Mr. J. Quimpo has the responsibility to answers honestly the question , to straighten out and come clean. There's really a discrepancy on the credentials. The questions are straight forward . He was undergraduate when he comes to Canada . He took training for his para legal and work at the law firm. You can't say inadvertently made errors in putting those numbers .You should be thorough coz people are watching and reading them. This is your life and would not ever messes them.You couldn't be slappy either coz you knew by heart the year you graduated. So, come clean and straighten them out. Answers the questions that Mr. B. Morelos had been asking....

      JR

      Jun 6, 2014 at 3:47am

      Why is it when you speak for the truth and ask Mr. Quimpo question , they will viewed as " a malign ", or smear campaign on their part ? To set the records straight , and to the public to know , He has to come forward and answers the question ,in order to dissipate the issues of " Maligned , smeared , envious and etc. and for this it will enhance his credibility afterall he is running for public office.Thats the only motives.

      Kiddo

      Jun 6, 2014 at 10:43am

      Why Mr. Quimpo is scared on answering Mr. Morelos questions in Public Forum ? He is running for a public office and we need answers to the questions. He made it public in changing his Resume and now it's being scrutinized. The people have to know the truth instead of telling us one by one. Still doesn't matched and confused. We don't want the issues manipulated by them, so come clean and straighten out your mess.Do not put confusion to people's mind or be a magician coz he knows the truth.If you want people's respect then you come clean to resolve these issues in a nice smooth Public forum and everything will be smooth as you want.