POC President Peping Cojuangco. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Criticized harshly for holding on to his post, Jose Cojuangco Jr. got back at his chief detractor by calling commissioner Ramon Fernandez of the Philippine Sports Commission a game fixer.
”He used to fix games against Toyota,” said Cojuangco during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum on Tuesday.
Fernandez has been highly critical on the way Cojuangco does his job as president of the Philippine Olympic Committee for the past 13 years.
”Do you want a sports leader who can throw a game away just for money?” said Cojuangco. ”How would the athletes feel if they have that kind of a leader?” he added.
Fernandez, currently in Japan on an official trip, has yet to respond to Cojuangco’s accusation.
The four-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player who played for Toyota and San Miguel Beer in the 70s and 80s has been antagonistic on the policies of Cojuangco since he assumed office at the PSC in July last year.
Fernandez has been airing his gripes on the present POC administration in Facebook, including the alleged unliquidated expenses of the Olympic body in previous projects with the sports-financing agency.
Cojuangco said he has no beef against PSC chair Butch Ramirez but decided to turn the tables against Fernandez when talks cropped up that the Cebu-based commissioner wanted him out of office.
”Review the statements of Mon Fernandez. They want to take over sports from the very beginning,” said Cojuangco.
”The IOC (International Olympic Committee) will not allow it,” he added.