Philippines Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez called for a dialogue among warring officials in the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Ramirez made the call after he turned down an appointment to become the chef de mission of the national delegation to the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
“As the Chairman of the PSC, I call upon all our sports leaders to step back and take a moment to consider peaceful interactions. I still believe that we can all sit down and civilly thresh out what needs to be straightened out. The PSC is open to host a dialogue between parties and provide neutral ground for everyone to air their side and ultimately to either sacrifice or step-up in the interest of a unified sporting community,” said Ramirez in a statement.
The PSC head declined to accept his appointment from POC president Ricky Vargas, and after getting a call from POC chairman and Tagaytay Congressman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino the other day.
Vargas, during a meeting of the POC General Assembly last Monday, named Ramirez as the replacement of taekwondo secretary-general and Makati Congressman Monsour del Rosario as the CDM.
New appointments were made after officials of the POC were removed from key positions.
The shakeup happened after questions on the status of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee were raised and answered by the POC legal counsel in previous days.
“After the tumultuous event in the yard of our POC partners, we all find ourselves at a crossroads in our journey. I believe that unity is vital in any endeavor. More so in this ideal, that we all undertake in our own capacities – to push Philippine sports to its highest possibilities,” added Ramirez.
Vargas said loss of trust and confidence were the main reasons why former POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., Joey Romasanta, Robert Bachmann, del Rosario and lawyer Charlie Ho were removed from their posts.
Bachmann’s position as chairman of the membership committee was given to Lucas Managuelod, while Vargas will fill in the spot of chairman of the constitutional amendments committee, in place of Cojuangco. Tolentino takes over from Romasanta as Tokyo Olympics chef de mission. Ho was also removed as assistant SEA Games CDM.
The revamp in positions in the POC took place after seven board members, led by Cojuangco, Romasanta, Antonio Tamayo Jr., Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, Julian Camacho and Clint Aranas convened a special meeting last April 30 to raise questions on the incorporation and role of the Phisgoc in the coming SEA Games.
POC spokesman Ed Picson said they will now have to find a suitable person to become the SEA Games CDM after Ramirez declined his appointment.
Ramirez said he is now focused on helping get the country’s hosting of the Games on the right track.
“We are hosting what we are working very hard to be the biggest SEAG edition. We are making every possible effort to make 2020 a memorable year with the country’s first Olympic gold and we are running on the fuel of our dreams to finally have infrastructure and facilities that will show the leveled-up fervor of our country in strengthening the foothold of sports,” added Ramirez.
The PSC chief explained that the agency will be around to help in the preparations, no matter what happens.
“Whether or not I am CDM in SEA Games 2019, I and the PSC will surely provide our full and sincere support to Team Philippines,” explained Ramirez.
Meanwhile, members of the group who were removed from key positions last Monday are calling for elections to be held earlier than January 2020.
Romasanta, speaking on behalf of the group, said they are ready to declare all positions from the POC leadership vacant.
“To determine whether he indeed has the support of the members of the General Assembly, to save the 30th SEA Games and the POC as an institution, we are calling for the general elections to be held at the soonest possible time and we will agree to declare all positions vacant if that happens,” remarked Romasanta.
On the other hand, Vargas explained that he suggested early elections for January because he wanted everyone to focus on the SEA Games hosting first.
“Mr. Romasanta got it all wrong. President Ricky Vargas proposed early elections in January 2020 not because he wanted a showdown to see who had more sympathizers in the General Assembly. He suggested early elections for January because he wanted everyone to focus on the SEA Games hosting first. And since there are those who want to be in control of the POC, then he said let’s not wait for the traditional date of November of the Olympic year to hold elections, let’s do it after the SEA Games,” said the POC.