Liquidation notice triggers cold POC, PSC relations

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chair Dickie Bachmann. -INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

President Marcos will fete the Philippines’ Asian Games heroes within this month, and while the four gold medal-winning athletes are expected to be there, it will be a great chance for Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chair Dickie Bachmann to talk things out and settle their differences.

Tolentino and Bachmann have literally not seen eye to eye even while crossing paths in the Games in Hangzhou, China, as the POC leadership has taken offense to the PSC sending the sports agency a reminder to liquidate expenses worth P10 million for the 1998 Asiad.

Bad timing?

The POC top brass is saying that the notice was ill-timed, since it was sent Sept. 20, while Bachmann claims that it is practically normal government office procedure.

The unliquidated P10 million can be traced back to the term of former POC president Cristy Ramos, who had issues with the PSC then chaired by Philip Ella Juico and needed the help of her father, the late President Fidel V. Ramos.

“We weren’t even born (in sports) at that time yet. Why send the letter on Sept. 20? Why not after the closing ceremony? Perhaps Oct. 10 when we have all gone home?’’ Tolentino asked.

The Tagaytay City mayor and three-time Cavite representative only got involved with the POC when he was chairman in 2016. He was elected interim POC president in 2018 and officially won the post in 2020.

“The notice on unliquidated funds issued by the Commission on Audit (COA) to the Philippine Olympic Committee is a standard procedure practiced by the commission, especially on matters that has been reported as a COA finding repeatedly over the years,” said Bachmann.