Can the Pasa save itself from drowning?

Nikki Coseteng, of course, also wanted to know if her sensational exposé on misspent national sports funds had reached Sen. Gregorio Honasan.
Although not its head, Honasan is a main force, a vital cog, in the Senate Committee on Sports.
Coseteng, a former member of the Senate, earlier tried to bring a case of injustice, suffered by young swimmers under her development program, to the Senate sports body.
No luck.
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Coseteng has already stopped asking about Gringo.
Just the same, she was quick to explain the reason behind the suspected snub.
She did not blame Honasan.
She said Honasan’s staff did not give her a chance to talk to the original People Power hero.
“Gringo’s staff hasn’t given me time and date to meet with him,” Coseteng explained.
* * *
You see, although Coseteng had sort of beaten Gringo to the draw after she filed charges of gross malversation with the Office of the Ombudsman, she’s not totally dismissing possible assistance from responsible officials in her crusade against corruption in Philippine sports.
It’s a very lonely struggle, Nikki confided to this reporter.
“Sometimes, it’s very frustrating. The victimization of young Filipino swimmers and shameless abuse of authority, the pillage of funds, cannot go unpunished,” Nikki continued.
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She’s calling on everybody, President Noynoy Aquino included, for help.
“Your help strengthens our resolve to keep watch and do what’s necessary to attain justice,” she said.
She vowed to be doubly vigilant.
“What people wanted to know is if Peping Cojuangco (Philippine Olympic Committee president) knows about this. Alam ba niya?” Coseteng asked.
She added: “The Trace College pool and dormitory are five-star. Whose money was spent for the pool? The P38-million Mark Joseph gave to Trace was only for the use of that pool, not to build it. The 2005 SEA Games swimming competitions were held at Trace. Not at Ultra (PhilSports). Not at Rizal Memorial. It was also government which spent for the Trace pool?”
* * *
Coseteng was scheduled to sit down with prospective supporters, including members of the media, in Quezon City last night.
Meanwhile, coach Susan Papa, the former national swimmer, has passed on this text message from Boy Piccio in Bacolod:
“I would like to congratulate you and your group for filing charges against Pagcor [Philipppine Amusement and Gaming Corp.] and Pasa [Philippine Aquatic Sports Association], under Mark Joseph. Enough is enough for those people trying to shatter the dreams of swimmers. Hopefully, your group will be able to get to the bottom of this corruption and mismanagement of our swimming association.
“The fake Pasa board, which put Joseph in power and which approved all his actions, should be equally liable together with Pasa officers. Our regional president here is not even a member of a club and has failed to hold elections. More power to your group.”
End of text message.
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(GIVING WAY:  As we went to press, Go Teng Kok, embattled president of the national track and field association, forwarded a statement calling for support in his fight “against Peping and his crook-allies in the POC.” Space will be reserved for it and also for a possible rejoinder from Pasa president Mark Joseph… Had to take in a new pair of glasses. In two succeeding columns the other week, I committed slips: Saying had work hard for, instead of had WORKED hard… should finally realized instead of SHOULD’VE finally realized. Sorry for that.)

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