Court issues TRO versus new BSCP

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati Regional Trial Court yesterday issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the present leadership of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, enjoining the group from acting as officers of the troubled National Sports Association.

Presiding Judge Joselito Villarosa granted the petition for a TRO against the group of Bong Ilagan as president and Putch Puyat as chairman “from acting as directors and officers” of the BSCP.

The court referred to former BSCP chair Yen Makabenta and president Ernie Fajardo as “officers and members of the group that have long been leading the billiards NSA (national sports association).”

The court cited several reasons in granting the TRO, foremost of which is that the court has jurisdiction over the case, it being an intra-corporate dispute, and rejected the claim of the Philippine Olympic Committee, through its counsel, “that it (POC) has absolute jurisdiction over NSAs in the country.”

Billiards is not the only troubled NSA in the country, and this might set a precedent for the others locked up in leadership disputes and contentions with the POC like wushu, archery, cycling, badminton, equestrian and wrestling among others.

The court also ruled that the March 31, 2009 BSCP elections where Ilagan and Puyat were named president and chairman of the BSCP “did not comply with the POC directive that the voters’ list in the last BSCP election be used.”

The court established that the 2005 list was used when there was a 2006 list that should have been used.

“The substitution of lists was designed to manufacture an artificial majority for the group in the election. The March 31 election prejudiced the rights of plaintiffs Makabenta and Fajardo to vote and be voted upon in a proper election of BSCP officers,” the court ruling stated.

Makabenta and Fajardo did not attend the March 31 elections wherein Joaquin Perez de Tagle was named secretary-general; Jonathan Sy, treasurer; and former UP professor and columnist Mahar Mangahas and sports journalist Willie Caballes as directors.

The court added that the BSCP as well as billiards players in the country “will suffer grave and irreparable injury from the confusion and chaos as to the rightful board and officers of the association.”

The BSCP under Makabenta and Fajardo are conducting the Philippine Open Pool Championship at the SM Megamall, a tournament which features 64 of the best pool players in the world.

“With the order, the court declared that ‘by virtue of the hold-over principle and in order not to disrupt the day-to-day activities of the BSCP, the previous set of officers shall continue to hold office until the final disposition of the instant case,” the order said. – Abac Cordero