Horseowners bat for reforms

Two prominent horseowners yesterday urged the Philippine Racing Commission to act on alleged irregularities that give the booming industry a blackeye before it's too late.

Former Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing and Albert Trinidad said the Philracom, headed by its chair Benedicto Katigbak, must invoke its broad powers to keep the races from possible manipulation and restore the confidence of the racing public.

"The Philracom right now does not have political will. Maaaring maganda ang kanilang pananaw pero wala silang ngipin. Siguro kailangan na rin ang revamp," Trinidad told the PSA Sports Forum at the Holiday Inn.

"I want to see people there who are young, brilliant and have marketing expertise," he added.

Both Trinidad and Bagatsing expressed frustration that their pleas for action and reforms have fallen on deaf ears despite widespread rumors of a syndicate believed to be manipulating the outcome of races in the country's two racing clubs.

Bagatsing asked the help of Interior and Local Government Secretary Alfredo Lim and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Panfilo Lacson to crack down on the unscrupulous group whose illegal activities threaten to undo the gains of the multi-million peso horseracing industry.

The former solon said the government has a big stake in the industry, which turns over nearly P1 billion a year in revenues to the national coffers and provides employment to thousands of people.

"Ayoko ng shortcut. Di komo pinalitan mo 'yung tao, solve na ang problema," Bagatsing said, when asked if he favored a revamp of the Philracom brass. "I'd like to give them a chance. But they should put their act together. They have to get to the bottom of the case. Alamin nila kung bakit nangyayari ang ganito?"

Bagatsing, himself a former Philracom Commissioner, cited the case of his two horses which lost, allegedly due to questionable riding, in races where they were among the favorites.

The horses were subsequently suspended by club veterinarians for limping.

The first horse, Arigato, raced again 13 days later against a tougher field, under a different jockey, and nearly won. The other horse, Winner's Dream, returned two weeks later, also under a different jockey, and won back-to-back races.

Trinidad said the Philracom wouldn't investigate any wrongdoing without a formal written complaint but Bagatsing said past leaderships, invoking the awesome powers mandated it by law, have acted on their own to overrule decisions of the Board of Stewards and look into controversial cases.