POC board majority files suit vs Phisgoc

The majority membership of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executive council has filed a suit to compel the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) to release its audited financial report on the 30th Southeast Asian Games, which the country hosted at the cost of over P6 billion.

POC chair Steve Hontiveros, 1st vice president Joey Romasanta, 2nd vice president Jeff Tamayo, treasurer Julian Camacho, auditor Jonne Go and board members Clint Aranas and Robert Mananquil filed the civil suit seeking full accounting of Phisgoc’s expenses for the Games.

“The Defendant is clearly in breach of the obligations it undertook under the Tripartite Agreement,” part of the civil suit, a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer, read. “The Defendant did not submit any of the report it was required to make before and during the conduct of the 30th SEA Games, in complete violation of the Tripartite Agreement.”

The Phisgoc entered into a tripartite agreement with the local Olympic body and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the country’s hosting of the SEA Games 11 months ago. Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano chaired Phisgoc and called the suit a political play for the coming POC elections.

“You want a financial audit but the audit is till ongoing,” Cayetano said in Filipino after the Phisgoc handed to the POC and the PSC its final report on the SEA Games during a ceremony on Wednesday.

“The problem is the POC elections are nearing and people are trying to make an issue even if there is none. No one is even saying what exactly they want to investigate,” Cayetano added.

Aranas, the archery federation chief is seeking the POC presidency against incumbent Abraham Tolentino, the cycling chief.