Philippine Sports Commission chair William “Butch” Ramirez indicated last week that intra-feuds among several national sports associations (NSAs) will not distract the PSC from implementing its mandate of “uniting and in cleansing Philippine sports from corruption.”
“This marching order from President Duterte is very clear and we have his full support,” said Ramirez, adding that the national sports associations must toe the line or face suspension.
He said that least seven NSAs are beset with intra-feuds, to include those governing lawn and table tennis, volleyball, bowling, arnis, Dragon boat, kayak and equestrian.
The PSC chair said most NSAs have begun to comply with a directive of the commission to liquidate their balances.
He said that as of December last year, the NSAs have not been able to liquidate a total P288 million they received from the PCA in the previous years.
“Last week, the balance stood at P150M, meaning most of them are complying,” he said. “It is a good sign.”
Ramirez said the PSC will be forced to suspend support to any NSA that has not been able to liquidate the money they received from the PSC “because the act of not liquidating is a form of corruption.”
“They have been used to having their way for the past 27 years,” he said.
At the same time, he said PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez is poised to file a libel case against Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Jose “Pepeng” Cojuangco for accusing him of game-fixing when he was still a basketball player.
“We are supporting Fernandez in this case because it has demeaned his honor,” said Ramirez, adding that the basketball legend will file the case in Cebu.
Fernandez had earlier accused the POC of reimbursing funds from the PSC which did not benefit Filipino athletes.
Ramirez said game-fixing is hard to prove considering that Cojuangco was referring to a period when Fernandez was still an active basketball player decades back.
