Citing its urgency, seven members of the 13-man Philippine Olympic Committee Executive Board today pressed the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee for the immediate submission of PHISGOC’S audited financial statements on the expenses of the 2019 30th SEA Games.
The board members were POC chairman Steve Hontiveros, first vice president Jose Romasanta, second vice president Col. (ret.) Antonio Jeff Tamayo, Treasurer Julian Camacho, auditor Jonne Go and board members Atty. Jesus Clint Aranas and Robert Mananquil.
Responding to published reports and statements attributed to PHISGOC Inc. president and chief operating officer Ramon Suzara on Wednesday, the group stressed that the POC general assembly was not taking issue over the government funds given to the 30th SEA Games “but the preparation and submitted of the required financial statements.”
House Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano was the chairman of PHISGOC, which was mandated to manage and operate the 30th SEA Games under the agreement it signed on Aug. 15, 2019 with the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission.
The sportsfest concluded on Dec. 11. 2019.
Referring to the same reports quoting Suzara, the group said this was misleading the issue because the tripartite agreement “obligates PHISGOC to submit to the Philippine Sports Commission and the POC the financial reports and make available all records and documents related to the SEAG.”
The majority members of the board likewise clarified and insisted that the request for the PHISGCOG report was a “collective decision” of the POC general assembly taken during its online meeting held last Sept. 29.
Published reports stated that the POC has been asking PHISOGC to submit its audited financial statements on its management and operations of the 30th SEAG, whose submission was delayed by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic since February.
The group maintained that PHISGOC was given enough extension, which was why the general assembly approved the resolution in adopting the motion of Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico and Aranas, president of World Archery Philippines, regarding the issue.
In the same meeting, reports said, the POC gave instructions to POC secretary general Atty. Edwin Gastanes to notify PHISGOC of the resolution, setting an Oct. 10 deadline to accomplish the task.
PSC exec confirms
PHISGOC got 1.4B
Meantime, PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Jr. confirmed that only around 1.4 billion was released to the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC).
“The disbursements were straight forward and paid for expenses they were allocated for,” explained Iroy.
The PSC official related that procurement of various equipment and services were made through the Department of Budget Management Procurement Service. Releases were also made out to the Philippine Olympic Committee which handled the purchase of most sports equipment coming from international and Asian federation accredited suppliers overseas.
The PSC made direct payments totaling around 900 Million. This covered payments for accommodation, sports equipment, transportation, catering, allowances of technical officials, freight forwarding services, and other expenses, as endorsed by PHISGOC.
