Let athletes decide on BSCP leadership
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:37:00 04/08/2009
Filed Under: Sport, Conflicts (general), Billiards and Snooker and Pool
IN REFERENCE to the April 3 column of Neal H. Cruz (“Politicians destroying our sports”), allow us to explain our side on the Billiards & Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) election.
The election was not a coup as people are being led to believe. It was held in accordance with the by-laws of the National Sports Associations (NSA) and conducted in strict observance of the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) rules approved by the majority of NSA members.
Together with Yen Makabenta and Ernesto Fajardo, we were elected as BSCP directors in 2005 under the same POC rules, and with the same roster of voters they now vilify. The 2009 election was called by the majority of BSCP members duly registered and accredited by the POC.
When Makabenta and Fajardo attempted to call an election last Dec. 5, 2008, we protested before the POC because their list had many new members who were admitted only by the duo without consultation with the majority of the members.
There was no need for us to seek assistance from POC President Peping Cojuangco for we represented the majority of BSCP members and almost all the stakeholders in billiards, most especially the athletes.
As to who are the masterminds behind our election, we are amazed at how Makabenta and Fajardo fail to see them. They are the top billiard athletes who have won all the honors for our country and helped BSCP to be regarded as a top NSA.
Last March 5, 2009, the top athletes, including the lady players, brought a petition to the POC demanding the immediate removal of Makabenta and Fajardo from BSCP.
With that embarrassing indictment, any self-respecting person would have packed up and left his post, but the duo until now have been insisting on holding on to their posts like barnacles.
The injustice committed by this duo upon our athletes could not be complete without the story of our living national treasure in billiards, Efren Reyes.
In 2005, Fajardo wanted high profile personages to join the NSA. Among those invited were Putch Puyat, Mahar Mangahas, Jonathan Sy, Johanna Dee and Reyes. Efren was reluctant but agreed to join upon the prodding of his sponsor. But alas, look at what they did to him recently – in the same fashion as their Pagulayan caper, they pronounced Reyes guilty of contrived accusations and expelled him from BSCP.
Thus the man, who brought so much honor to his country, was made a villain by Makabenta and Fajardo right in his own country.
To settle the issue, we challenge Makabenta and Fajardo to the proposal of former PSA president, Manolo Iñigo: hold an election with only the athletes who have won medals for the country or won in accredited international events voting. This will really show the officials that have the trust and confidence of our Filipino billiard athletes. —ARTURO ILAGAN, president and ARISTEO G. PUYAT, chairman, Billiards & Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP)
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:37:00 04/08/2009
Filed Under: Sport, Conflicts (general), Billiards and Snooker and Pool
IN REFERENCE to the April 3 column of Neal H. Cruz (“Politicians destroying our sports”), allow us to explain our side on the Billiards & Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) election.
The election was not a coup as people are being led to believe. It was held in accordance with the by-laws of the National Sports Associations (NSA) and conducted in strict observance of the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) rules approved by the majority of NSA members.
Together with Yen Makabenta and Ernesto Fajardo, we were elected as BSCP directors in 2005 under the same POC rules, and with the same roster of voters they now vilify. The 2009 election was called by the majority of BSCP members duly registered and accredited by the POC.
When Makabenta and Fajardo attempted to call an election last Dec. 5, 2008, we protested before the POC because their list had many new members who were admitted only by the duo without consultation with the majority of the members.
There was no need for us to seek assistance from POC President Peping Cojuangco for we represented the majority of BSCP members and almost all the stakeholders in billiards, most especially the athletes.
As to who are the masterminds behind our election, we are amazed at how Makabenta and Fajardo fail to see them. They are the top billiard athletes who have won all the honors for our country and helped BSCP to be regarded as a top NSA.
Last March 5, 2009, the top athletes, including the lady players, brought a petition to the POC demanding the immediate removal of Makabenta and Fajardo from BSCP.
With that embarrassing indictment, any self-respecting person would have packed up and left his post, but the duo until now have been insisting on holding on to their posts like barnacles.
The injustice committed by this duo upon our athletes could not be complete without the story of our living national treasure in billiards, Efren Reyes.
In 2005, Fajardo wanted high profile personages to join the NSA. Among those invited were Putch Puyat, Mahar Mangahas, Jonathan Sy, Johanna Dee and Reyes. Efren was reluctant but agreed to join upon the prodding of his sponsor. But alas, look at what they did to him recently – in the same fashion as their Pagulayan caper, they pronounced Reyes guilty of contrived accusations and expelled him from BSCP.
Thus the man, who brought so much honor to his country, was made a villain by Makabenta and Fajardo right in his own country.
To settle the issue, we challenge Makabenta and Fajardo to the proposal of former PSA president, Manolo Iñigo: hold an election with only the athletes who have won medals for the country or won in accredited international events voting. This will really show the officials that have the trust and confidence of our Filipino billiard athletes. —ARTURO ILAGAN, president and ARISTEO G. PUYAT, chairman, Billiards & Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP)
