Go Teng Kok dares PSC to sue NSAs with debts

MANILA, Philippines—After his plea to the Philippine Olympic Committee fell on deaf ears, athletics chief Go Teng Kok Wednesday challenged the Philippine Sports Commission to file cases against national sports associations with unliquidated cash advances.

At the same time, the controversial president of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association asked PSC chair Richie Garcia to come to the aid of associations with no financial obligations with the sports-funding agency.

Based on PSC records, a total of 58 NSAs, 39 of them regular members of the Philippine Olympic Committee, have accumulated P130.6 million in unliquidated financial assistance since Garcia took over midway of 2010.

Garcia, however, stressed that several associations have begun to work on their outstanding dues by presenting receipts, certificates and proof of purchase that correspond to the amounts they owe the PSC.

“Since the POC cannot investigate its own members with big unliquidated funds, I propose that you, as PSC chief, lead an investigation and challenge them to return the money,’’ Go told Garcia in a text message.

“If they can’t pay back, file a case against them but please help those NSAs without negative records in their programs,’’ added Go, whose association is in the process of liquidating the P4.5 million monetary help it received from the PSC.

Garcia said they’re waiting for a comprehensive report from the agency’s accounting department to identify the NSAs which failed to justify their cash advances after giving them one month to liquidate them.
The PSC has recently approved a policy disqualifying an association from receiving financial help this year unless its previous expenses have been settled.

Aquatics tops the list with P10,526,638, including previous obligations of P4.9 million. The amount includes financial liabilities of swimming (P8,066,537), diving (P752,981), water polo (P1,513,022) and synchronized swimming (P194,096). Also with unliquidated funds are Wushu (P7,967,254), gymnastics (P6,654,044), shooting (P5,674,931), chess (P5,430,138), volleyball (P5,179,330) and football/futsal (P5,014,331).