Probe on NCFP accounts urged

The prompt liquidation of millions of funds by Secretary General Samuel Estimo, not a snap election, will help solve the problems of the NCFP (National Chess Federation of the Philippines).

This was stressed yesterday by NCFP Executive Director Casto "Toti" Abundo, who was empowered by the NCFP board in its Resolution No. B-02, Series of 2004-03-13, to temporarily assume the functions, duties and powers of Estimo.

In the same resolution, which was signed by NCFP chair Andres Gatmaitan and president Mat Defensor, among others, Estimo was ordered to take a leave of absence while an investigation of the association accounts is ongoing, and the annual convention, where the elections will be held, was set for July 31.

"It’s exactly a month since (NCFP auditor) Juanito Calditaran has requested Estimo to transmit to him books of accounts, officials receipt booklets and other financial records but he has not done anything," said Abundo.

Abundo also pointed out that the resolution asking Estimo to step down is valid because it was signed by 10 of 15 directors, including NCFP president Mat Defensor, during a teleconference.

"This is accepted based on SEC Memo Circular No. 15, Series of 2001, dated 11-27-01 pertaining to teleconferencing," said Abundo in reaction to Estimo’s claim that Defensor had come out with a memo maintaining the status quo in the NCFP. "This (Defensor memo) does not override a board resolution."

The call for a snap election, according to Abundo, "is a clear attempt to cover up for the failure of Estimo to account for the funds received by him on behalf of NCFP.

Among the funds that the NCFP official was demanded by the board to explain was the allowances given by the Philippine Sports Commission to the national team that competed in the 2002 World Chess Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia.

Most of the national team members, led by Grandmasters Joey Antonio, Bong Villamayor and International Master Nelson Mariano II, have filed sworn affidavits that they failed to receive their allowances that Estimo receive from the government sports agency on behalf of the chess association.