THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) might get what they wished for after all as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) gave the new organizing committee a chance to to start a talk about the Southeast Asian Games 2019 hosting to catch up with the Aug. 18 deadline of the SEA Games Federation Council.
PSC agreed to Foreign Affairs secretary Allan Peter Cayetano plan to reconsider the previous decision after the latter took over the chairmanship of the organizing committee along with Presidential Management Staff chief Bong Go.
However, the negotiations will only push through if POC will agree to the conditions set by the PSC.
“Chairman Butch set conditions, including – nobody from the controversial 2005 SEA Games to get involved in the 2019 event, except for POC president Peping Cojuangco; PhilSoc has to account the P27.2M unliquidated expenses of the 2005 event; POC has to submit detailed list of events to PSC for budget purposes; younger members of POC to be given active roles in running the event and PSC will have full control in disbursement of funds. If those things won’t be met, no deal,” PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez told SunStar Cebu.
Personally, Ramirez asked Fernandez if he could reconcile with Cojuangco “in the spirit of unity and cooperation.”
“I told Chairman Butch, that I can do that but I also have to set my conditions. First things first: Peping needs to make a public apology. He knew what I brought into the open was an issue, which concerned my job as a commissioner; I exposed a legitimate issue that involves the money of the people. I will continue to fight for this even if I’m no longer with the PSC,” Fernandez said.
According to Fernandez, before Ramirez gave his go signal to Secretary Cayetano to start the negotiations, they talked it out at the board meeting, which was held last Tuesday at the PSC office in Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
PSC had earlier announced that the government would not give financial support to the SEA Games 2019 hosting, but POC sought audience with President Rodrigo Duterte for reconsideration.
During the cluster secretary meeting, Sec. Cayetano asked Ramirez, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Sen. Migz Zubiri to revive the hosting issue, which was readily agreed by the people involved.
Accordingly, Cayetano will appoint a treasurer that is not from or affiliated with the POC.
“For Alan Peter, that can be his waterloo too, that’s why he will not give finance to POC. Madaut iyang political ambition anang kalakiha kon mo give-in siya sa wishes sa POC,” Fernandez added. (RCM)