GMA’s dilemma: Eric or her friend Cynthia?

Sooner or later, President Arroyo will have to choose between Philippine Sports Commission chairman Eric Buhain, her recent appointee, or commissioner Cynthia Carrion, her old friend.

The President was placed in this kind of a dilemma after Buhain, along with commissioners William "Butch" Ramirez and Leon Montemayor, signed a petition last April 24 asking the President to remove Carrion from the government sports agency. Ritchie Garcia also signed the petition but is no longer with the PSC, being replaced as commissioner by Mike Barredo last week.

PSC insiders said the ongoing rift between Carrion and her fellow board members is irreparable.

Buhain and company charged Carrion with throwing her weight around the PSC, pre-empting major announcements by either the President or the PSC chair regarding sports concerns and policies, illegal hiring of personnel under her office, and a penchant for dropping the name of the Chief Executive "every now and then."

These are basically the same reasons why more than 20 members of the House Committee on Youth and Sports, led by Bacolod Rep. and former PSC commissioner Monico Puentevella, recently signed a separate petition (also seeking Carrion’s ouster) that was submitted to Malacañang.

The female commissioner had said she would answer these charges point by point – but only before President Arroyo (her former classmate at Assumption). She said the chargers are "simply not true."

Buhain said the other day he will try to reinforce these charges when he holds a press conference this afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. The press conference is set to start at 1 p.m.

Buhain, tapped by the President to replace Carlos "Butch" Tuason as PSC chairman last January, said he and the other commissioners believe that Carrion’s ouster and eventually her immediate replacement could help the government sports agency "achieve (a) greater sense of direction and collaboration."

"The issues being raised are legitimate. Commissioner Carrion should not evade them," said a PSC source yesterday.

Puentevella is also expected to renew the House committee’s call seeking Carrion’s ouster and might even join Buhain in the press conference depending on his schedule. Puentevella told The STAR the other day that he is supporting Buhain’s move.