Missing Official Must Answer Charges, Governor Says

Calling him a “great disappointment,” Gov. George Deukmejian said Sunday that, if a controversial Glendora car dealer does not return to the country soon, he will arbitrarily remove him from the state board that oversees the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Deukmejian said he wants to hear an explanation from Eminiano (Jun) Reodica about his latest troubles with the DMV.

In February, the governor reappointed Reodica to the state New Motor Vehicles Board, aware that dealerships and affiliated companies he headed had been fined $100,000 by the DMV for selling used cars as if they were new and failing to submit automobile registration information on time. Deukmejian said he reappointed Reodica because he was satisfied that the problems had been corrected.

But recently, the DMV suspended the sales licenses of two of Reodica’s companies, Grand Chevrolet and Grand Motors for new violations. About the same time, these two companies, plus Grand Wilshire Finance, which Reodica heads, filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the federal Bankruptcy Code.

Associates say that Reodica has left the United States for his native Philippines and cannot be located.

Questioned at a press conference on the eve of the Republican National Convention, Deukmejian said Reodica “has greatly disappointed his supporters and the Philippine community.” The governor added that “ ‘disappointed’ is a mild word.”

“Certainly I think he ought to come back to California and answer all charges that have been made,” Deukmejian said. “If he doesn’t, we will certainly remove him” from his appointive office.

“He has really betrayed all the trust people had in him,” the governor continued.

The situation poses an additional embarrassment for the governor, because Reodica has been a past financial contributor to Deukmejian’s gubernatorial campaigns. Also, Reodica once bought a car agency from Deukmejian’s cousin.

“That was many, many years ago,” the governor said Sunday.

Deukmejian press secretary Kevin Brett has said there is “no personal, social or professional relationship” between Reodica and the governor.