Dick Emperado received a fresh mandate to lead the Negros Oriental Football Association in elections July 28 at the Opena’s Hotel and Restaurant, that was preceded by a rally staged by Foundation University demanding for his resignation.
Elected along with Emperado were Marlon Billones, Vice President; Vicente Solis of the Negros Oriental High School, General Secretary and Atty. Sherwin Peralta, treasurer.
Also elected were a nine-member Board of Directors: Herbert Ignacio of the Dumaguete Football Club, Elmer Gallardo of the Talay Football Club; Frankie Caballes, Silliman University football coach; Alfredo Bustamante of the LCP Football Club; Ike Villaflores, Dumaguete City Sports Director; Joy Bucol, high school football coach; Mayor Rene Gaudiel of Bayawan City; Edwin Cabalida, AZKAL assistant coach and Patrick dela Torre, a teacher at the Bacong High School, who heads the grassroots football program.
The election, which was held in the presence of Philippine Football Federation representative Ramoncito “Chito” Manuel, was attended by about 40 football stakeholders from schools, industries and different parts of Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental.
The NORFA meeting was initially scheduled at the Chin Loong Restaurant but was moved to Openas Hotel and Restaurant on the day of the meeting. Some 100 students, teachers and parents had gathered outside Opena’s Restaurant bearing placards denouncing Emperado’s alleged negligence and lack of foresight during his six-year term.
Dr. Aparicio Mequi, Foundation University’s director of the Institute of Youth Sports for Peace (IYSP), claimed that Emparado violated the bylaws of the organization by failing to hold regular elections and to submit regular reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mequi also accused Emperado of ordering NORFA coaches to boycott games organized by FU, a charge that Emperado had earlier categorically denied to the MetroPost.
Some NORFA members who attended the meeting said most of the rallyists did not know what they were there for. Emperado, in his report, made an apparent reference to the rallyists by saying that football has become very popular in Negros Oriental to the extent that even non-stakeholders were starting to get involved. (Paulo Lim/SU Masscom intern)
