5 chessers in scam to be sacked

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines will suspend at least five players it found to have been involved in game-fixing activities in a series of tournaments last year.

"We’ll make the announcement tomorrow (today)," said NCFP secretary-general and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino after emerging from the NCFP board meeting yesterday.

Although the NCFP refused to disclose the names of the players, it has previously been reported that former Asian Zonal champion GM-candidates Ronald Dableo and Darwin Laylo and IM Chito Garma were among those in the list.

One of the five will be slapped a one-year suspension while four others will be suspended for six months, according to sources in the NCFP.

"I’m not at liberty to divulge the result of the investigation, but there are big names in the list," said the source.

One, however, was spared from being suspended because the player is a minor while the decision on three more players have been deferred since they’re either out of town or out of the country.

Nine of the 15 members of the board attended the meeting, including FIDE rating specialist Casto "Toti" Abundo, who returned over the weekend along with FIDE honorary president Florencio Campomanes.

NCFP president Prospero "Butch" Pichay, Jr. also attended the meeting but left 10 minutes later.

The three-man fact-finding group, chaired by Raul Molintas, made the final recommendation to the board after talking with the players allegedly involved in the scandal. The other members were Edmundo Legaspi and veteran journalist Manny Benitez.

The NCFP, however, said those suspended will be allowed to appeal their case.

Three of the accused, in fact, said they’ll appeal it and bring the case to the court.

"What are the grounds? We’ll definitely appeal it," two of the accused told The STAR.