Palace won't ask sports heads to quit

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang said Saturday it would be up to the Philippine Olympic Committee’s executive director, Jeff Tamayo to resign for calling the Philippine Dragon Boat Team hollow and old.

“As far as resignation is concerned, this is always our response, it is a personal choice of the person holding the post,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over dzRB.

Valte said President Aquino was also ready to meet with his own uncle as well as the Philippine Sports Commission to determine why the members of the dragon boat team could not be considered national athletes and therefore not entitled to any official government support.

The same complaint has been aired in other sports like swimming where non-members are not accorded the status of national swimmers or cannot compete in other countries because they are not members of the swimming association which is recognized by the POC.

Valte said they were happy that people appreciated the President’s statement that he would rid sports of politics.

She said the President was not exactly going against his uncle on the dragon boat issue as the matter would still have to be discussed with the POC and the PSC.

“But this is not the first time that you have seen the President in a different opinion as Mr. Peping Cojuangco,” Valte said.

 Valte added Cojuangco’s wife, Tingting also openly opposed the President’s plan to postpone the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

 Valte said the Palace had done what it could for the Philippine paddlers and “as far as the President is concerned, we have some issues (and) he will talk to the PSC for the incentives.”

 Valte said members of the dragon boat team were pleasantly surprised with the presidential citation and were very grateful for the recognition being given them.