Peping calls for sobriety

POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. said yesterday the use of media to air internal problems in National Sports Associations (NSAs) with leadership issues is tainting the country’s image before the IOC and appealed for sobriety in the wake of the Nov. 28 polls where he is running for reelection against Art Macapagal.

Cojuangco said if things get out of hand, the IOC might even suspend the Philippines from participating in IOC-sanctioned events.

“We don’t need this negative publicity,” he said. “What’s worse is some people are sending copies of their complaints straight to the IOC. We all know the IOC frowns on government interference and going to court to settle disputes but this is what’s happening and it’s not doing us any good. Our situation is being closely monitored by the IOC.”

Cojuangco said after the elections, there will be an audit of the Constitution and By-laws of every NSA because the IOC and the Olympic Council of Asia want to make sure there is confirmation from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On the unsettling situation in the National Archery Association of the Philippines (NAAP) where his nephew Kit Cojuangco is the athletes’ spokesman, Cojuangco said the issue will be resolved after the POC polls because whatever is done now would be construed as politically-motivated.

Kit Cojuangco said the archers are not against the POC president who has pledged to support their campaign for reforms.

“This has nothing to do with my uncle,” said the young Cojuangco. “This has to do with the rule of law and upholding what is just. We are denouncing what is a clear move by certain individuals to take over the NAAP and disenfranchising legitimate members of the NAAP. We are questioning Dr. Lenora Brawner’s right to vote for the NAAP in the coming POC elections because by doing so, she is acting in behalf of the takeover group without her knowledge. We want to bring this out in the open so everyone is aware of what is going on.”

Kit Cojuangco said Dr. Brawner tendered her irrevocable letter of resignation as NAAP president two years ago but was appointed to join a special committee to administer the NAAP after it was delisted by the SEC for failure to comply with reportorial requirements and secretary-general Ligaya Manalang was suspended by the POC ethics committee.

The special committee was made up of the POC president, Mark Joseph, Dr. Brawner and PSC commissioner Richie Garcia. It was later expanded to include Kit Cojuangco, Terry Lim and Gen. Marlowe Pedregosa.

Kit Cojuangco said the special committee was subsequently superseded by another group composed of Mari Vargas, Ricky Torres, Lim, Bernard Yap, Roy Villasor and Dr. Brawner even as some are not NAAP members.

The “other” group moved the NAAP office from Rizal Memorial to Shaw Boulevard, opened new bank accounts, issued receipts, reorganized the national pool, appointed Lim as acting secretary-general and accepted funds from the PSC to organize the recent Asian Grand Prix here. Some receipts were reportedly signed by Torres’ wife Ana, showed no dry seal of the NAAP and had no BIR approval.

Kit Cojuangco said the NAAP has been wracked by irregularities, disclosing that at least P5 million was received as kickback for the importation of equipment with the payor turning “state witness.” He said in the recent Asian Grand Prix, the PSC authorized the release of P1.2 Million but athletes got only P200,000 worth of equipment.

The POC president said he personally requested Dr. Brawner to remain in the NAAP until reforms are instituted starting with the ratification of a new Constitution and By-laws.

“Dr. Brawner doesn’t deserve to be in the middle of this problem,” said the elder Cojuangco. “She is clean. She is staying on because I asked her to in the interest of the NAAP.” The young Cojuangco agreed that Dr. Brawner is not involved in any anomaly.

The SEC recently reinstated the status of the NAAP whose Constitution and By-laws do not allow non-members to vote or be represented in the Board. Kit Cojuangco said the archers want to re-establish the legitimacy of the NAAP members and called for a transition period within which to initiate reforms and later welcome the entry of new members.

Kit Cojuangco confirmed he has met with his uncle to discuss the NAAP problems and was assured they would be resolved at the appropriate time.