Phl team ‘di puwedeng layasan ni So - Pichay

MANILA, Philippines - Sinabi kahapon ni National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero Pichay, Jr. na mananatili si Grand Master Wesley So bilang official member ng national team at hindi ng United States Chess Federation.

“He’s still part of the federation (NCFP) because we haven’t received any official letter or document saying otherwise,” wika ni Pichay kasama ang Phl team na humakot ng 35 gold medals sa 15th ASEAN+ Age Group sa Macau, China sa kanilang pagbisita sa Philippine Sports Commission para sa isang courtesy call.

 Ayon kay Pichay, ang tanging paraan para pagbigyan niya ang kahilingan ni So na lumipat ng chess federations ay kung makakatanggap siya ng official letter buhat sa international chess federation na FIDE.

“I can’t respond to blogs,” wika ni Pichay sa intensyon ni So na inihayag nito sa blog site ng kanyang coach na si Susan Polgar.

 â€œAs far as I know, the process is for him (So) to write the federation he is transferring to then that federation will write FIDE, which in turn writes to us at NCFP if we have objections. And so far, we haven’t received any official communication from anyone,” wika pa ni Pichay.

Kung matanggap man ni Pichay ang official letter mula sa FIDE ay hindi magiging madali ang pagpapakawala niya kay So.

 â€œPersonally, I want to let him go. But I will be answe­rable to the Filipino people because until now, he is still receiving taxpayer’s money worth P40,000 a month being a priority athlete,” sabi pa ni Pichay.

Wala na ring paraan para makumbinse ang Webster U standout na ba­guhin ang kanyang desisyon.

“Hindi marunong lu­mingon sa pinanggalingan ‘iyan kaya hindi makakara­ting sa paroroonan,” wika pa ni Pichay.