Whether or not he wins the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) elections, presidential candidate Clint Aranas revealed he is set to lead the filing of charges against members who are part of the Philippine SEA Games organizing committee (PHISGOC). 

Aranas claimed the POC members, who are part of the PHISGOC board, are not complying with their duty to submit an audited report on the country’s staging of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games 10 months ago. 

“I am ready to file a case and I’m readying my legal team on this,”  said Aranas in a press conference on Saturday, October 3. 

“Majority of the members of the board are seriously looking at filing charges to the POC members who entered into the agreement. No one is asking PHISGOC to do anything.”

The charges are based on a tripartite agreement signed by Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez, PHISGOC president Ramon Suzara and POC president Bambol Tolentino on August 13, 2019. 

The POC members who were part of the incorporation of PHISGOC as a foundation allegedly violated Article I of the agreement that pertains to the duties and responsibilities of the parties. 

Among POC’s responsibilities is to “oversee that PHISGOC accounts for all the necessary expenses, including sponsorship, donations and the liquidation of government support in accordance with relevant government rules and regulations.” 

“PHISGOC was supposed to give the financial records and they’re (POC representatives) supposed to account and tell us everything. Unfortunately, this never happened,” said Aranas, who claimed he would constantly follow it up in POC board meetings. 

POC director and chairman Steve Hontiveros added that Tolentino, who represents the national Olympic committee in the PHISGOC, said the non-fulfillment of the clause is delayed because the financial reports have not yet been completed. 

Philippine Netball Association president Charlie Ho, who’s running for a spot in the board of directors in the upcoming elections, stressed the need for POC to resolve the issue to avoid liabilities.

“If POC will not exercise its oversight function on the acts of omission of PHISGOC, we would eventually be liable and since it’s already election, so closure is needed,” said Ho. 

The POC feud started when the majority of the POC board members argued that they only approved the formation of PHISGOC – and not the PHISGOC Foundation, which they alleged was on top of the SEA Games preparations.

The POC members included in the incorporation of PHISGOC are former president Ricky Vargas, Tom Carassco and Ed Picson. But since Vargas stepped down from presidency, Tolentino took over his position as PHISGOC vice chairman. 

According to Aranas, the president of World Archery Philippines Inc, the deadline of the 2019 SEA Games audit report is on October 10, 2020.

The POC elections will be held in November 2020. – Rappler.com