MANILA, Philippines — Bagong mukha na may malalim na grassroots development program ang nararapat sa Philippine Football Federation.
Ayon kay Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) president at Tarlac representative Charlie Cojuangco, panahon na para sa pagbabago.
Naniniwala si Cojuangco na si NOFA chief Ricky Yanson ang karapat-dapat mamuno sa asosasyon dahil sa magandang programa nito sa football.
“In my opinion, Ricky Yanson is the right PFF president,” ayon kay Cojuangco sa isang media briefing.
Wala nang tiwala si Cojuangco sa pamamalakad ni incumbent PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta na makailang ulit nang sumira sa isang magandang usapan.
“I find it disturbing that what he did to me so many years ago, he did it again to another person. That is back-stabbing,” ani Cojuangco.
Naging biktima na umano siya ni Araneta noon at ayaw na nitong maulit ngayon.
“During the time I was also running for PFF president, I had a similar arrangement with Nonong Araneta. He asked me to give way to him as I planned to run for PFF president. So I was surprised that, after three days, I heard that he had thrown his support behind Mari Martinez, may he rest in peace. We all know what happened to PFF during Mari Martinez’s tenure, and you have Nonong Araneta to thank for that,” kuwento ni Cojuangco.
Nakatakda ang eleksiyon ng PFF sa Biyernes.
Ayon kay Cojuangco, noong Setyembre, nagkasundo umano sina Yanson at Araneta na bumuo ng political partnership.
Subalit nagulat ang grupo ni Yanson nang magdeklara ng kandidatura si Araneta noong Oktubre at iwanan si Yanson.
Itinanggi ni Araneta na may kasunduan sila ni Yanson.
“So it’s now an issue of character. I didn’t say anything before because it’s in the past and I had forgiven him and moved on. But the fact that he did it again makes me question his character,” ani Cojuangco.
Kinastigo rin ni Cojuangco dahil sa mga negatibong nangyayari sa football ngayon sa Southeast Asian Games kung saan sina Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) head at House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano at PFF secretary general Atty. Edwin Gastanes ang humarap sa delegasyon imbes na si Araneta.
“You are the president of Philippine football. You are the host. You should have made sure everything was ok for football. And when everything exploded, why send an underling to apologize?. Are you only there front and center when everything is okay?,” aniya.