I received two text messages from members of the sports community in Metro Manila. The first, I presumed from the contents, was addressed to Philippine representative to the International Olympic Committee, Frank Elizalde: “Buenas dias, Señor Frank. I am not sure if you are fully aware of these facts–POC chair (Monico) Puentevella was charged before the Ombudsman by ex-PSC chair (Harry) Angping for failure to liquidate P50M funds from Bacolod event. (POC president) Peping (Cojuangco) was also charged before the Ombudsman for plunder over P73.5M PhilSoc funds. (POC) Sec-Gen (Steve) Hontiveros can’t also explain to FIQ’s Jessica Pua the whereabouts of the missing P4M US FIQ fund. (POC) Deputy Sec-Gen Mark Joseph has been charged before the Ombusman for P30.8M anomaly, and (POC spokesman Jose) Romasanta is now facing 3 cases before the Pasig courts.”
Holy cow! These five people constitute the highest sports officials of the POC.
This was followed by the following text message, from whose content I deduced came from PATAFA President Go Teng Kok: “These people want me to be declared persona non-grata so I will keep silent on their crimes and other anomalies. They know I have complete knowledge about their corrupt activities so they want me to shut up…The spirit of Olympism is dead in the Philippines because the very people tasked to implement the same are facing all sorts of irregularities and charges of corruption before our government agencies of justice…as the IOC representative to my country, you don’t want all these bad things happening before your very eyes. IOC President Rogge must be informed about them so that this crusade against corruption in sports, which he gave great emphasis before the 100th anniversary of the Japanese Olympic Committee last July 4, the most important problem (corruption) confronting the IOC now, will be given a big boost.”
I texted back: “As former PSC chair, I am aware of the corruption and anomalies being committed by sports officials. When I left the PSC, my parting words were, ‘Unless there is reform in the NSAs and the POC, not even Superman can save Philippine sports.’”
The following day, another text message: “Please support Paul Jerome Carpio, 18-year-old son of your fellow colleagues, friends in media, who is filing a case at 1:30pm, July 19 at the Quezon City Prosecutors Office, against Mark Powell Joseph, alleged PASA president — the first in the history of sports and Philippine swimming.”
I texted back: “Yes, with all my heart, and I wish I could do more than just pray. Get the UP College of Human Kinetics to support you.”
I emailed the UP Forum and urged that the UP Administration and most especially the CHK, an institution where I was founding dean more than 35 years ago, to organize a movement to support Carpio and “help cleanse the sports community by exposing the corruption and anomalies being committed by unscrupulous people presenting themselves as sports leaders.”
These attempts to bring to public awareness the shenanigans committed by the highest of sports officials in our country are long overdue. I remember former President Ramos telling me: “Abusado yan mga officials ng NSAs.” And as telanovelas assure us, there’s more to come. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
Let’s inject a happy note to this item. In photo are NORFA President Dick Emperado, and Cebu Football Association President Richard Montayre, during the opening of the FU IYSPeace “Youth @ Play” 7-a-Side football tournament, with 56 teams participating at the FU playfield in celebration of IYSPeace sixth anniversary July 16.
All is well for football in Central Visayas.
