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Contrary to a resolution of the general assembly of the Philippine Olympic Committee, POC President Representative Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino stated on Saturday that he would not rush the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee to complete its report of achievements. before the October 10 deadline set by the local Olympic body.
“Of course, everyone is looking forward to clean and fair financial accounts, however, I am not trying to put more burden on (PHISGOC) accounting,” Tolentino said in a statement.
“Regarding the reason for the delay, I trust that it will be delivered in due time and I have patience in sensitive matters as such to have an orderly accounting.
“The Organizing Committee of the SEA Games has its own responsibility and I believe that the way we have successfully conducted the Southeast Asian Games is fair and equitable,” he noted, adding that “I am not (sic) in favor and I did not vote for the October 10 (deadline). “
Tolentino’s pronouncement was contrary to the decision of the POC general assembly during their online meeting on Wednesday approving the motion of athletic chief Philip Ella Juico and chief of archery Atty. Clint Aranas when requesting from PHISGOC a full report on the operations of the 30th SEA Games that concluded on December 11, 2019.
Likewise, the assembly accepted the October 10 deadline proposed by both sports officials for PHISGOC to comply with the request.
Both Juico and Aranas said that the operational arm of the 30th SEA Games had had more than enough time to finish the report, including the audited financial statement on the expenses of the sports festival that the country was organizing for the fourth time.
“I don’t recall anyone opposing the Juico and Aranas motion when it was referred to the body,” said POC President Steve Hontiveros, who chaired the assembly meeting, shortly after learning of Tolentino’s move.
He also recalled that the general assembly instructed the general secretary of the POC, Atty. Ed Gastanes to notify PHISGOC “immediately” regarding the POC resolution.
As part of his prerogative under the POC constitution and statutes, Tolentino appointed Gastanes, general secretary of the Philippine Football Federation, as his main deputy.
Both the president and secretary general of the POC cited the current COVID-19 pandemic during the meeting as the main reason for the long overdue PHISGOC report.
Juico, Aranas and Hontiveros pointed out that they were only invoking the agreement signed by the Philippine Sports Commission, POC and PHISGOC on August 14, 2019, as a requirement for the national government to release the P6 billion that it had allocated to the realization of the Games.
The signatories of the agreement were the president of the PSC, William Ramirez, Tolentino and Ramon Suzara, who is the president of PHISGOC Inc. and director of operations of the SEA Games.
“The POC should have overseen the operations of PHISGOC, which was supposed to make regular reports to the POC regarding any transactions involving them. It never happened, ”said Aranas, a member of the POC Executive Board along with Hontiveros.
“At every board meeting, I would ask for the financial records of PHISGOC Inc. (of Tolentino), it never happened to this day,” added the president of World Archery Philippines.
“They (PHISGOC Inc.) have no right to keep these financial records, cash, utang (debts) because the SEA Games are long over,” Aranas said. “The same purpose for which the corporation was formed has already been accomplished.
“Creates a cloud of doubt about the integrity of the PHISGOC report.”
Southeast Asian Games 2019, SEA Games, Philippine Olympic Committee, POC, Abraham Bambol Tolentino, PHISGOC
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