When Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) regional director Regino “Boy” Cua was still very much around, he is the most conscious person, I know, when it comes to money transactions happening in amateur basketball development.
“Mag ingat tayo Mo, kasi nakakahiya, pera lang yan,” he would constantly remind me, and sometimes in the presence of other sportswriters who would enjoy a round of JW Swing Whisky and Hav-A-Tampa cigars at his humble abode in Matina.
Before he was appointed in the Basketball Association of the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Chapter (former name of the SBP as a local National Sports Association), the BAP-XI was surrounded by many controversies. All involving the flow of money.
“We need money Mo, but we don’t love it,” Boy Cua would tell us.
These are moments of a sportswriters’ life that we treasure the most because of the lessons we learn from our sports elders. You see, there is so much temptation when it comes to money, specially when there is so much lack of it, or there is the presence of greed.
The 4.8-million peso saga involving Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena and his supervising Philippine Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Dr.Philip Ella Juico have been hugging the sports pages of this country for days now.
So, the news reports say that amount of money was intended for Obiena’s coach.
But there were accusations hurled that there were alleged discrepancies in the liquidation of that public money (public, because it came from the Philippine Sports Commission, an agency which is actually under the Office of the President) which is a salary for the coach.
The PSC Board of Commissioners offered to be an arbitrator but EJ Obiena’s statement on social media that he has availed of the services of a lawyer to deal with this controversy has prompted the national sports agency to discontinue the offer and hope that the issues will be resolved soon.
There were allegations that Dr.Juico harassed Obiena, even ordering him to return that amount of money. Obiena, on the other hand, said in published reports that his Russian coach was already paid that amount.
Gubot noh? As in gyud.
You see, when Boy Cua was handling any cash flow within the local NSA in Davao, whether that be involving public or private sector funds, there is always a paper trail. All financial transactions, there is always a payroll document, received and signed by the recipient, properly identified, and witnessed that he or she has received the amount of money, from the sports organizers.
Money in, money out. Simple accounting. Walay daghan istorya.
And don’t you ever accuse of Boy Cua that he has mishandled funds during his stint as regional director, or else he will haunt you in your dreams! Kalooy sa Ginoo, no one has done it, and probably just in their stupid brains, because all members of the basketball community know that Boy has been spending his hard-earned money for amateur basketball development.
That is why I don’t understand PATAFA of not simply doing a simple paperwork.
The PATAFA, being a National Sports Association, normally receives funds from the PSC or corporate backers intended for its coaches or athletes.
That’s why I don’t get it when those funds go through Obiena and then to the Russian coach.
The PATAFA is not a one-man organization, you see. There are officers too that can help handle those funds that could have avoided this controversy.
Reminds me of complaints of sports community members in Davao years ago that they have not received the full amount from the organizers, or it was given to them “tigi tigi” and told to just come back to receive the rest of the money.
Samok gayud!
Now, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has declared Dr.Juico “persona non grata” because of this controversy.
Should the POC go through that length of punishing Dr. Juico? Personally, that’s too much. In fact, unnecessary.
A PSC Arbitration could have helped.
But it looks like Obiena is ready to go all-out war against Dr., Juico and the PATAFA.
All for that 4.8-million peso.
Since the PSC Arbitration is out, the Commission on Audit (COA) can come in because taxpayers’ money is involved.
For sure the COA has the brightest minds who can handle this and put everything to rest.
It’s just a simple paperwork, you know, that is why I don’t understand why problems like these has never been resolved when all the systems are in place to avoid controversies like this.
Ahhh, money, init gihapon sa sports organizations diha sa Manila.
By the way, Happy Holidays dear readers and stay safe always!
