Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Commissioner quits Cesafi post
THE controversies surrounding the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) has prompted commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy to resign from his post.
Tiukinhoy refused to discuss the contents of his letter submitted to Cesafi president Rolly Villa and the rest of the schools owners. “I have said my piece in the letter and that will be enough for now,” Tiukinhoy said.
According to a source, however, Tiukinhoy’s decision was triggered by the issues concerning some member schools joining another league. The board had first unanimously decided not to allow the Cesafi member schools to join the Visayas Amateur Athletic Association. This was overuled after a reportedly heated discussion among board members.
In the letter, a clearly disappointed Tiukinhoy said, “In all my years of involvement with the Cesafi and CAAA it is only this time they no longer respect the decision of the board and audaciously proceed to carry out their individual schools’ vested interests, overlooking a board resolution that was earlier deliberated and collectively agreed upon.
“Under the present situation, it would be very difficult for any commissioner to implement with confidence a board resolution that is treated so tentatively.
As such, I feel that I can no longer rely on the board to be circumspect and judicious,” the letter said.
“I accepted this job because I was requested to and I took it out of the respect and friendship that I have with the school owners,” Tiukinhoy said
The resignation, however, is not yet final since the board has yet to accept it.
Tiukinhoy’s confidante, University of Cebu basketball coordinator Baldomero Estenzo said whether the board will accept the resignation or not is hard to predict.
“It is hard to predict because in the board, the minority overrules the majority,” said Estenzo, who based his statement on the VAAA decision.
“Judging from what happened with the VAAA decision, it was a unanimous decision. when the minority reacted, the decision was overturned. Mao man nang nangluod si Tiukinhoy ba,” Estenzo said.
Estenzo, however, said that if Tiukinhoy leaves the post it will be a huge loss for the league.
“Being a commissioner is a thankless job. Labi na si Boy, who is very dedicated and righteous. For him, right is right,” Estenzo said.
UC athletic director Bernard Ricablanca said that he admired Tiukinhoy’s dedication to the league. “It was admirable that someone of his position will call you from another city at night and first thing in the morning to check on updates of the preparations of the Cesafi events,” Ricablanca said.
University of San Jose Recoletos athletic director Dioscoro Himotas said he understood Tiukinhoy’s move.
“I respect him, he is misunderstood. He is merely there to implement. He is not the one giving the orders,” Himotas said. (MCB)
