subject: The Parts in the David Nugent - Jason Lowen Controversy [print this page] In 2008, Jason Lowen, a Jewish American, caught the attention of Philippine media with his staggering allegations regarding David Nugent (a company executive), Manuel Pangilinan (one of the nation's wealthiest tycoons), and Philippine corporate governance. By producing blogs, in a similar fashion to Brian Gorrell's claim to fame, Lowen was able to garner an audience that immediately bought his writings without ever crossing the Pacific from his California residence. Surprisingly, hardly any fact-checking ensued, thus allowing the news to break out into the mainstream. It was not long before Manila was talking about the 'scandal,' even disrupting one of the biggest conglomerates in the nation -- Metro Pacific.
Though it happened in the Philippines and would affect entire businesses, the scandal actually took root in the US and, perhaps ironically, among former friends. Jason Lowen and David Nugent both used to attend American University in Washington D.C. The two would form a close friendship, even sharing a relationship at some point. However, fate would take Nugent to the Philippines where he embarked on a budding career 2001 as Vice President of Metro Pacific Corporation, a conglomerate that is composed of the likes of PLDT and Smart Communications -- some of the largest companies of the Philippines.
Eventually, the friends would grow apart, leading separate lives, or so it seemed. However, webs would intertwine once more in 2008 when Lowen suddenly burst onto the scene with his explosive blogs. In the writings, Lowen alleged illegal business undertakings, fraudulent claims, botched corporate governance, money laundering, and other criminalities. Such claims caused quite a stir in Manila and even disrupted business with Metro Pacific, which put both company heads David Nugent and Manuel Pangilinan on the spot.
Lowen was relentless with his publications. Yet, no one speculated his motives, perhaps a result of his complete obscurity to Filipinos' eyes. However, information would leak soon thereafter; yet, it would be too late to save any reputations.
The evidence was concrete -- a letter written by Jason Lowen himself. The letter revealed Lowen's affair with Nugent and his seeming inability to cope and accept that the relationship was over, spurring the vengeful attacks that would later prove to be baseless. In the letter, he confesses that he suffers from bipolar/manic depressive disorder as well as general anxiety disorder. The letter was sent by Lowen to OUT Magazine's editoral and was subsequently published. In its original form, Lowen stated:
I have never felt so moved by similarities as in your recent piece in the July 2004 issue written by Peter Davis about the life of Carlos Cisneros ["Reversal of Fortune"]. Like Cisneros, I graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., and I suffer from manic-depressive disorder (bipolar disorder) and generalized anxiety disorder.
As I read through the piece I could further identify with the double-life aspects, a long-term relationship of six years (which started in college), and how untreated bipolar disorder can lead to mania. I spent 25 days in a Fifth Avenue suite at the St. Regis in New York and spent many weekends at hotels in cities like Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Paris. I spent my college years and many afterward with my former lover and best friend, whom I will call Scott because he lives in a country that is 97% Roman Catholic, where he serves as senior executive in a conglomerate, and where he is the great-nephew of one of the country's revered politicians. We kept a low profile while living in the heart of Dupont Circle; we are still close and I visit him four to six times a year with the understanding that I am the "old college friend." I thought I might share my story as it seems similar in many ways to that of Carlos Cisneros.
Jason S. Lowen
West Hollywood, Calif.
Regardless of the revelation, the damage had already been done. Amid the fiasco, Nugent graciously resigned to prevent further reputational damage to Metro Pacific. Yet, he would promptly find employment, this time as Vice President and Director of Ace Saatchi & Saatchi. Jason Lowen, on the other hand, continues to operate blogs. Their relationship remains totally severed.
In the aftermath, the controversy of the incident lies in the fact that the so-called whistleblowing was taken for its face value. Due to poor or non-existent fact-checking, businesses were disrupted and reputations were destroyed by baseless allegations. This serves as a precedent and hopefully provides grounds for re-inspecting the laws behind blogging regulation and how freedom and abuses of speech are defined.
The Parts in the David Nugent - Jason Lowen Controversy
