There is a call for a truce among sports leaders quarreling from within the Philippine Olympic Committee family.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez made this appeal yesterday after he changed his mind and accepted his appointment to become the chef de mission of the national delegation to the 30th Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines is hosting from November 30 to December 10 this year.
Talks with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Tuesday evening made Ramirez change his mind.
“I humbly accept the chef de mission post for Team Philippines’ 2019 SEA Games participation. I accept the challenges of the CDM position. Aside from the instructions from my bosses is to heed the call for help of the POC,” said Ramirez after meeting yesterday morning with POC president Ricky Vargas and Assistant Secretary Kim Raisa Uy at the PSC offices in Vito Cruz, Manila.
“I suppose this discussion (on being chef mission) reached the president. It’s a very tremendous responsibility. As the sports government arm, we show our readiness to step in, to help in the capacity being requested and if possible, mediate to make unity happen. I do this in the interest of unity. Through this, I express my solid support to the POC and the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee. We must stand as one,” Ramirez went on.
The PSC chief initially turned down the appointment made by Vargas last Monday.
Vargas, during a meeting of the POC General Assembly last Monday, named the PSC Chairman as the replacement of taekwondo secretary general former Makati Cong. Monsour del Rosario as the CDM.
On Monday, Ramirez meets with NSA officials to assess preparations for the Games.
New appointments were named during the gathering 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.
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.
“There’s just a small misunderstanding. But seated beside me with our new CDM, we have become stronger. We have a lot of respect for our Chairman. We feel that at this point in time that we are holding the SEA Games in the country, he is the most qualified. Many are. But he is the most qualified,” said Vargas.
Bachmann’s position as chairman of the membership committee was given to muay’s Lucas Managuelod, while Vargas will fill in the spot of chairman of the constitutional amendments committee, in place of Cojuangco.
While Ramirez was named to take the place of Del Rosario, POC Chairman Abraham Tolentino takes over from Romasanta as Tokyo Olympics’ chef de mission.
Ho was also removed as assistant SEA Games CDM.
A revamp became imminent when 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.
Vargas also reiterated his suggestion that early elections be set for January, 2019 because he wanted everyone to focus on the SEA Games hosting first.
The group that was removed from key positions last Monday are calling for elections to be held much earlier than January 2020.
And Romasanta, speaking on behalf of the group, said they are ready to declare all positions from the POC leadership vacant.
For the meantime, Ramirez said such calls should be put on hold.