BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) unveiled the first volume of the 2019 SEAG Final Report book on Wednesday at the Kalayaan Hall of the SM Aura Office Tower in Taguig City.
PHISGOC Chairman and Taguig City Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano and COO Tats Suzara presided over the ceremony, where they also turned over the copy to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Bambol Tolentino and PSC Commissioner Arnold Agustin.
The 300-page book is an official document required to all SEAG hosts, detailing the preparations, highlights and results of the Games.
Cayetano and Suzara said the second volume, which is the financial report, would be released in a few weeks time.
The ceremony occurred in light of the civil case filed by a group of disgruntled members in POC Board on Tuesday for failing to furnish the audited financial report to the POC as stated in a tripartite agreement between PHISGOC, POC and PSC.
Tolentino shrugged off the complaint, saying the other camp was just employing political tactics to sway votes in its favor in the organization’s Olympic cycle elections on November 27.
“It is definitely 101 percent [pure politics]. It is just a political stand,” said Tolentino.
Tolentino also stressed PHISGOC didn’t violate any provisions because the auditing firm has not yet completed its report. He also added the move is done by only a group of board members, not the consensus of the General Assembly.
“How can you finalize it [audit] 60 days after or a year after, or whatever date, if you’re not done closing the books because you are still paying somebody else?” Tolentino said.
Payments to the SEAG suppliers were done on a staggered basis based on the PSC’s remittance to the PHISGOC and with the pandemic prevailing, the government sports agency remained as helpless in securing funds. PHISGOC received the last tranche of payment for unpaid suppliers only last Sept. 4.
Archery head Clint Aranas, who is one of the complainants of the suit, said in earlier reports that they are “baffled on the deliberate delay in the issuance” and questioned the intention of the matter.
Other complainants included POC first vice president Jose Romasanta, second vice president Jeff Tamayo, treasurer Julian Camacho, auditor Jonne Go, board member Robert Mananquil and chairman Steve Hontiveros.
