Gripes, complaints aired in inquiry

MANILA, Philippines – For four hours yesterday, the Senate committee on sports headed by Sen. Manny Pacquiao listened as sports officials aired their gripes and accused one another of failure to perform their duties for the sake of the national athletes during the inquiry on the state of Philippine sports.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco led the resource persons during the non-stop hearing that lasted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Senate committee conducted the hearing based on a resolution filed by Sen. Edgardo Angara on the reported failure of the POC to account for P129.6 million in taxpayers’ money that it got from the PSC for athletes’ training and participation in various international competitions.

Cojuangco defended himself from various accusations, including the alleged failure of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc), which he headed, to liquidate P27 million in financial support from the PSC for the hosting of the 2005 SEA Games.

Cojuangco also denied that as POC chief he drew from the PSC funds intended for the national sports associations (NSAs) and that he interfered in the selection of athletes and coaches to international competitions.

Philippine Swimming League (PSL) president Nikki Coseteng, Philippine Bowling Congress (PBC) head Guillermo Mallillin and Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) executive director Ed Picson took their turns at Cojuangco.

Former Philippine Amateur Track and Field (Patafa) president Go Teng Kok spoke briefly, saying he knows where the Philsoc money went, but was never asked to expound until he left.

Senators Antonio Trillanes, Vicente Sotto, Joel Villanueva and Angara also graced the hearing but had to leave for other commitments.

Coseteng, a former senator, blamed the country’s failure to field the best athletes in international events like the 2013 University Games on the POC, and accused the leadership of the Philippine Swimming, Inc. (PSI) of favoritism.

Mallillin rued the POC decision to discredit the PBC in favor of the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF) headed by Steve Hontiveros, who is Cojuangco’s long-time secretary-general at the POC.

Then Picson accused Cojuangco of interfering in ABAP’s decisions in hiring a foreign coach for the 2016 Rio Olympics, and that the POC president even had wanted his way in selecting the boxers for international events.

“I never interfered in their decisions. I just aired my opinion if I could have my way. They never followed me anyway,” said Cojuangco.

Ramirez tried to step in when things got hot, and vowed to do his best to help provide the solution.

“I will do my best. The PSC will continue to talk to the POC and the NSAs for the good of Phl sports. We cannot correct things using our emotions but with our minds,” said the PSC chairman.

Pacquiao did not adjourn the hearing and said he will call for another one when he’s ready to present the bill that he will file in the Senate to the sports leaders.

“With this bill I hope we can solve all the problems. We will correct things. I call on our sports leaders to observe the law or I will take the action. The investigation continues,” he said.

Ramirez said the other day there are other NSAs who have failed to liquidate but the issue was not really tackled during the hearing also attended by representatives from the Commission on Audit (COA).

Photo shows (from right) POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr., PSC chair Butch Ramirez, and top triathlon official Tom Carrasco during the hearing. Geremy Pintolo

“If there was money that was not liquidated, it must be returned,” said Pacquiao, adding that he will not hesitate calling for the resignation of sports officials who may be found guilty of corruption.

The boxing champion ordered Ramirez to “flex your muscles as PSC chairman” and make sure that he “strongly” implements the rules regarding the disbursement of funds to the NSAs or the POC.

Pacquiao called on the PSC and the POC to respect the results of the Philippine National Games in the formation of the national team and cited the importance of having adequate training facilities for the athletes.

Then he called on everybody to make sure that government money is spent wisely. Like Trillanes, Pacquiao said PSC must stop the practice of releasing money intended for the NSAs to the POC, and release the money directly to the NSAs.

“Let us resolve this with understanding and coordination and harmony. I heard everything you said and I listed them down. There is nothing personal here. Let’s just do our jobs. No one can solve this problem but us,” said Pacquiao.

“Let us not just discuss things and plan. We have to act,” he said.

On the unliquidated Philsoc money, Cojuangco showed in his possession papers signed by Ombudsman Conchita Morales-Carpio dismissing the case against Philsoc, saying that they properly liquidated the amount even if it was “disallowed” by COA.

Angara said under the law, dismissal of criminal or administrative cases does not mean that the money in question no longer has to be liquidated or returned to the government.

Trillanes went hard at Cojuangco, and blamed the former Tarlac congressman for the decline of Philippine sports in the international arena.

Sotto, a former member of the national bowling team, said problems came about after the PSC was created in 1990, saying in his days as member of the national pool, there was not much help from the government and yet the athletes delivered the gold.

“In the days of Paeng Nepomuceno or Bong Coo or Efren “Bata” Reyes we were winning even with very little help from the government. It’s when the PSC came in, when the money came in, that problems came about,” said Sotto.

“That’s when politics stepped in. Maybe it’s about time to create a department (for sports),” he said.

Toward the end of the hearing, Villanueva said he was “beginning to get confused” trying to determine who’s legal or not as far as the swimming and bowling associations or federations are concerned.