(Legality Part One)
OVER the past few weeks, a “war” has been played out on in all forms of media between the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Volleyball Federation. We got both sides’ points that we present and, by column’s end, make our recommendations.
On January 13 Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) Secretary-General Rustico “Otie” Camangian issued a press release stating that the national sports agency for volleyball was in the process of addressing internal issues, and called for a general assembly on the 25th of January.
“We’re all moving forward,” Camangian said. “There are many positive results, including the filling up of vacant positions, and our decision to pursue the hosting of the [Asian Volleyball Confederation] Under-23 [women’s] championship. We will continue the plans and development programs of the PVF.”
In that press release, it was stated that Edgardo “Boy” Cantada was named chairman, replacing Pedro Mendoza Jr., who passed away in October of last year. Karl Chan was named president, while board member D’Artagnan Yambao took over the latter’s position of vice president.
During their recent elections, the officers of the PVF invited the POC to send an observer for their proceedings but the latter declined, stating that the former was an illegal entity.
However, in an interview with POC First Vice President Jose “Joey” Romasanta on Thursday, January 19, we were informed that the current dealings of this incarnation of the PVF are supposedly illegal.
Romasanta furnished us copies of two different sets of incorporation papers from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The first was dated March 21, 2005, with Company Registration CN200526128, with the following signatories as incorporators: Bro. Rolando Dizon, Roger Banzuela, Pedro Mendoza Jr., Augusto Santamaria, Richard Palou, Victor Abalos, Edwin Velez, Constante Reyes, Fr. Ermito de Sagon and Joey San Juan.
The second set of papers on April 2, 2014, with Company Registration CN201406380 and with Karl Geoffrey Chan, Nestor Bello, Yul Beñosa, Adrian Paolo Laurel and Camangian as members.
He also pointed out to an e-mail letter from Asian Volleyball Confederation’s Shanrit Wongprasert dated May 20, 2013, to Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who is with AVC’s Development and Marketing, about possible sanctions on the Philippines if they pulled out from the Southeast Asian Zonal Qualification Tournaments in Vietnam and the 17th Asian Senior Women’s Championships. He also was e-mailed by Wongprasert on the following day, where he not only introduced himself but also sought the help of the POC for various concerns.
In the e-mail of Wongprasert, it is stated, “I and AVC have tried very hard to support Philippine Volleyball Association to promote and develop their management after their association has had problem with International Volleyball Federation for the debt of the organization of the World Grand Prix at the amount of USD1000,000.
“The only way to develop any kind of sports is to participate (in) international competition and to organize the international competition. If not, there is no chance to get sponsor. I and AVC have tried to support Philippine Volleyball Association to host Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship in order to get some income to pay the debt to the IVF and to encourage the association to participate (in) international competition.”
“In the light of these developments,” said Romasanta. “The POC got involved. We told the volleyball officials to fix this mess, and that was in 2013. It is now 2015, and nothing has been fixed. There are issues with the national team but before we address that, these so-called representatives have to answer this irregularity about the paper work and who is in charge. Hindi pwede puro salita but they should present paperwork that certifies that everything they say from board resolutions is all true.”
Added Romasanta, “When the country is under threat of sanction nakakahiya naman. Hindi naman tama ito. That is why we entered this.”
As Cantada refused to be interviewed, we instead spoke to Camangian in a cell-phone conversation on Sunday, January 18. The PVF’s secretary-general bared the association underwent a major reorganization in 2013. Camangian previously left the federation but was invited by former president Dungo to help out. He received a board mandate to help with the reorganization. Added Camangian, who expressed reconciliation and understanding with the POC, “The SEC also recommended that we reincorporate as the old organization was gone, hence, the new incorporation papers. We fixed our organization as mandated by the AVC. We are not in the process of forming a national team, and we have found a sponsor in the top telecommunications company in the country and the biggest mall operator in the country in SM and now that we have complied we are illegal? Siguro naman, if we are illegal and are doing something wrong, these two pillars of our economic infrastructure would not partner with us.”
The POC questioned the process, and Romasanta elucidated, “Yes, we informed them to reform Philippine volleyball and to fix their membership and, as per the rules of the International Olympic Committee, you should call for fair and democratic elections. But in their so-called incorporation papers, they included referees and judges who should not be members but only accredited as part of the organization. In their accomplishment report to the POC, they could not list any tournaments but merely workshops or seminars that these people attended.”
Richard Palou, former PVF board member and currently with the V-League, agreed, “Dungo was elected as president, but stepped down with other board members. Karl Chan and company appointed themselves into an interim board to run PVF affairs. POC says they should have called for elections, instead of appointing themselves into an interim board.”
A check with the Asian Volleyball Confederation’s web site as of Sunday, January 18, it still had Generoso listed as president of the PVF close to two years after he supposedly stepped down. If you want to speculate, either the AVC did not recognize the proceedings or now updates in leadership were presented to the regional body.
And there’s still the matter of that “debt” that the AVC mentions. Can someone care to explain what exactly that debt is?
My take: At this point, it is all he said, he said. The sport of volleyball is growing, and with growth comes an influx of money. If it isn’t about the money but the sport, then I challenge all parties concerned to sit down and hash it out and produce the proper paperwork. As for the volleyball players, you should not get involved. I think you should know all the issues and see both sides before you speak and cry in public. Use the mind and not the heart in these matters, because they are of utmost importance.
Tomorrow, in Part Two, we will look at the issues of the national team.