Move to oust NCFP sec-gen snowballs

More charges and allegations were hurled yesterday as more players, led by eight International Masters, joined the clamor for Sammy Estimo’s ouster as secretary-general of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).

Grandmasters Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor were the first to ask for the head of the chess official whom they charged with mismanagement of NCFP affairs and whom they blamed for the absence of a sound program that would benefit the majority.

Joining the call were IMs Ronald Dableo, Petronio Roca, Domingo Ramos, Barlo Nadera, Enrique Pacencia, Chito Garma, Cristine Rose Mariano and Joy Lomibao, FIDE (World Chess Federation) Masters Adrian Pacis and Manny Senador, and a dozen National Masters.

The NMs now up in arms against Estimo are Edgardo Garma, Alex Milagrosa, Darwin Laylo, Bob Jones Liwagon, Winston Joseph Silva, Rolly Martinez, Mirabueau Maga, Ronald Llabanes, Ronaldo Nolte, Jesse Sales and Dante Zuniga.

Also joining the who’s who in Philippine chess asking for Estimo’s ouster was NM Quirino Sagario, president of the Philippine Chess Masters Association (PCMA) and former chairman of the NCFP.

In filing their petition "to replace"Estimo, they cited various charges and allegations.

They said the NCFP has neglected the needs of the chess masters by failing to regularly organize tournaments for them to join; that the publicly announced cash prizes for the 2003 Inter Cities Chess Championship, organized by the NCFP, were allegedly not given to some members of the winning teams;

That cash allowances from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), received by the NCFP, were allegedly not given to members of the RP men’s and women’s teams to the 2002 Bled Olympiad and representatives to the 2003 World Youth Championship in Greece; and that there were occasions when FIDE ratings of RP players were not released by the world chess body due to the late payment by the NCFP of FIDE dues.

"We, the undersigned...do hereby petition the National Chess Federation of the Philippines to address our complaints and replace Mr. Samuel (Sammy) Estimo as NCFP secretary-general," they said in a press statement.

In resigning as NCFP officials, Antonio and Villamayor asked Estimo to explain how the financial assistance given by the First Gentleman Foundation for the team’s pre-SEA Games (Vietnam) training was spent.

A meeting between Estimo and the NCFP top brass led by president Matias Defensor has been scheduled this week.