Senators grill POC chief Peping Cojuangco over PHL's performance in SEA Games

Senators on Tuesday grilled Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Peping Cojuangco, blaming him for the dismal performance of the Philippines in international sporting events.

During a Senate sports committee hearing, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV pointed out how the Philippines' rank in the Southeast Asian Games had slid ever since Cojuangco took over POC in 2005.

To drive his point, Trillanes asked Cojuangco what the Philippines' rank was in the SEA Games last year. Cojuangco refused to answer but was heard saying under his breath, "Alam mo naman ang sagot."

This prompted Trillanes to threaten to have Cojuangco cited for contempt. "You have to answer the question. Mr. Chairman, I am going to move to declare this guy, in contempt of the committee if he refuses to answer the question," he said.

Trillanes revealed that from the top spot in 2005, the Philippines' rank has since gone down to the sixth spot as of 2015. "Iyan ang accomplishment ni Mr. Peping Cojuangco," he said.

Trillanes accused Cojuangco of "manipulating and monopolizing" the sports sector. He tasked the Commission on Audit to continue pursuing the pending notice of disallowances against Cojuangco.

"Kailangan tumigil na ang pag-waste ng funds for Philippine sports dito kila Mr. Peping Cojuangco... The bleeding has to stop," said Trillanes.

The lawmaker then directed the Philippine Sports Commission to ensure government funds allotted for sports are always liquidated, and should no longer be coursed through the POC.

"You have been warned na wala nang pondong dadaan kay Mr. Peping Cojuangco in his capacity as chairman of the POC because it is against the law," said Trillanes, adding the funds should go directly to national sports associations (NSAs).

Before he was allowed to respond to Trillanes' statements, Cojuangco was reminded by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, chair of the Senate sports committee, of his rights as a resource person in the Senate hearing.

"Gusto ko lang pong ipaalala na ang resource person ay walang karapatan na magtanong, has no right to ask questions to the senators," said Pacquiao.

Cojuangco tried explaining himself, but Pacquiao insisted that he limits his answer to Trillanes' concern about the Philippines' ranking in the SEA Games under Cojuangco.

"Mr. Cairman ang problema naman, I just wanted to correct something... What about [Trillanes'] other statements? Will I just accept it as gospel truth? I have no chance to rebut what was said?" Cojuangco asked.

When he was finally allowed to explain, Cojuangco blamed the Philippines' poor showing in the SEA games to the previous commission's decision to only allow 200 athletes to be trained for the games.

At this point, Senator Vicente Sotto III joined in the conversation and asked if the PSC is really helping improve the Philippine sports sector.

"Alam niyo po noong araw, wala naman kayo. Walang PSC, ang dami naming medalya. I was an athlete then all the NSAs performed on their own kanya-kanyang sponsor, performance," said Sotto.

Sotto boasted that in the 1977 SEA Games, prior to the PSC's creation in 1990, the Philippines won seven gold medals and a silver medal in the eight events that the country participated in.

"Mula nang pumasok ang gobyerno tsaka nagkaloko-loko. Kung kailan nagkapera pa. We didn't have money then, we just had sponsors. We just spent on our own," recalled Sotto, a former national bowler.

"Iyong mga sports, 'pag hindi nakikiaalam ang gobyerno, nagpeperform eh. Oras na makialam ang gobyerno, pasok na ang politka, may problema na sa pera. It all boils down to money," added Sotto.

The lawmaker said the government should consider creating a Department of Sports and rethink the existence of the PSC. —KBK, GMA News