Iginiit ni Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino na hindi raw nito aapurahin ang Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) na kumpletuhin ang kanilang accomplishment report bago ang itinakdang deadline sa Oktubre 10.
Reaksyon ito ni Tolentino taliwas sa inilabas na resolusyon ng POC general assembly na humihiling sa PHISGOC na maglabas ng komprehensibong report sa operasyon ng 30th SEA Games na natapos noong Disyembre 11, 2019.
Ayon kay Tolentino, bagama’t batid nito na kailangang makita ang malinis at patas na mga financial account, ayaw daw nitong bigyan pa ng panibagong sakit sa ulo ang organizing committee.
“On the reason for the delay, I am confident that it will be submitted in due time and I have patience on sensitive matters as such in order to have an orderly accounting,” saad ni Tolentino sa isang pahayag.
“The SEA Games Organizing Committee has its own accountability and I believe that it is just and equitable the way we have successfully conducted the Southeast Asian Games,” he noted, adding that “I am (sic) not in favor and I did not vote for the Oct. 10 (deadline).”
Una rito, sa ginanap na online meeting ng POC general assembly nitong Miyerkules, inaprubahan ang mosyon nina athletics chief Philip Ella Juico at archery head Atty. Clint Aranas na itakda sa Oktubre 10 ang deadline para makasunod ang PHISGOC sa request.
“I do not remember anybody objecting to the motion of Juico and Aranas when this was forwarded to the body,” ani POC chairman Steve Hontiveros matapos mabatid ang hakbang ni Tolentino.
Sinabi pa ni Hontiveros, inatasan din ng general assembly si POC secretary general Atty. Ed Gastanes na sabihan agad ang PHISGOC kaugnay sa resolusyon.
Kapwa naniniwala sina Juico at Aranas na nabigyan ng sobra-sobrang oras ang operating arm ng 30th SEA Games upang tapusin ang report, kasama na ang audited na financial statement sa mga ginastos sa event.
Paliwanag naman nina Tolentino at Gastanes, ang nararanasang COVID-19 pandemic ang pangunahing rason kaya naantala ang PHISGOC report.
Pero tugon nina Juico, Aranas at Hontiveros, dapat masunod ang kasunduang pinirmahan ng Philippine Sports Commission, POC at PHISGOC noong Agosto 14, 2019, na requirement para sa pamahalaan na ilabas ang P6-bilyong inilaan para sa biennial meet.
Lumagda sa kasunduan sina PSC chairman William Ramirez, Tolentino at Ramon Suzara, na presidente ng PHISGOC Inc. at chief operating officer ng SEA Games.
“The POC should have had oversight on the operations of PHISGOC, which was supposed to make periodical reports to the POC regarding any transactions involving them. It never happened,” saad ni Aranas.
“In every board meeting I would ask the financial records of PHISGOC Inc. (from Tolentino), it never happened up to this day,” dagdag nito.
“They (PHISGOC Inc.) have no business in holding on to these financial records, cash, utang (debts) whatever because the SEA Games is long finished,” Aranas said. “The very purpose that the corporation was formed is already completed.
“It creates a cloud of doubt on the integrity of the PHISGOC report.”
