Trillanes wants to cut PSC budget for being Cojuangco’s ‘rubberstamp’

Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines –  Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes  IV  on Wednesday threatened to cut the proposed budget of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)  for  2014 by at least P10 million when the proposal reaches the  plenary.

Trillanes expressed  his “inclination” to cut the  proposed  P178 million budget of the PSC after  he  announced during  the  hearing  of the Senate sub-committee on finance that he  filed  a malversation case  at the Office of the Ombudsman against  PSC chairman  Richie Garcia  and  Philippine Olympic Committee president  Jose “Peping”  Cojuangco  Jr. and others  for releasing  the PSC funds  to alleged bogus  national sports associations (NSAs).

“I’d like to inform the committee, just this morning I filed a malversation case in the Ombudsman against chairman Richie Garcia, Mr. Peping Cojuangco and some other people in relation to the release of PSC funds to bogus  NSAs,” he said.

“So that’s my main issue against the PSC. You have become a rubberstamp of Mr. Peping Cojuangco and we have to put a stop to that…”  he said.

But Trillanes promised that he would not block  the “legitimate” support   to  other  NSAs.

Garcia, who was  present at the hearing,  said he was  ready to answer the case  at  the proper forum but he explained that the PSC has been releasing  funds  to NSA’s  that are recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee as  provided for under Republic Act 6847.

“Mr. Garcia, we’ve been talking about this. You can’t  wash your hands on this matter because precisely  I informed you that the legitimacy issue has yet to be resolved by the court so pending that court resolution , I advised you not to release funds to that recognized NSAs…” Trillanes said.

“Because if we are to follow your logic, what if Mr. Peping Cojuangco would recognize some random guy on the street..? Automatically you will release funds to that random  guy on the street Mr. Garcia, is that what you’re saying?”

“No, your honor.  As provided in RA 6847, Section 13, NSAs organized for the respective sports in the Philippines and or are affiliated with their respective international federations which are recognized by the international committee are recognized as such,”  Garcia said.

But   the senator noted  that the International  Sports Federation recognizes those recognized by the  POC.

Trillanes said Cojuangco “arbitrarily” recognizes bogus  NSAs  “or they will form their own NSAs if he’s not agreeable to the president of the legitimate  NSAs .”

“Anyway, you’ve been warned. I warned you , don’t release the funds because the legitimacy issue is yet to be resolved and yet you released the funds and what happened to  those funds?”

“Those funds were basically pocketed by the people that Peping Cojuangco recognized. They didn’t conduct tournaments, they overcharged the PSC and you willingly gave them money so you will have to answer for that,”  the senator added.

And when Garcia insisted that the fund releases were based on the law and mandates of the PSC,  Trillanes then threatened to slash the budget  of the  commission.

“Chairman, you are insisting on that line, you are insisting on that line but you know for a fact  that what you did was wrong. Ok magkakasabwat kayo, magkakasabwat kayo and  wag mo akong paandaran ng mga recognize by the POC,”  he said.

“Anyway, wag mo na, iinit lang ang ulo ko pag nag-insist ka dito. Ngayon, may inclination was to cut your MOOE by half from P20 million…I understand  to around P10 million. If you would pursue that line baka itulak ko pababa yan…”  the senator added.

MOOE stands for maintenance and other operating expenses.

Despite the exchange, Senator Teofisto Guingona III, who was presiding over the hearing,  moved to approve  the proposed budget of the Commission .

Guingona said the issue brought up by Trillanes  could  just be taken up again in the plenary.

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