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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Last man standing among Cayetano allies praises ex-Speaker on SEAG anniversary

Last man standing among Cayetano allies praises ex-Speaker on SEAG anniversary

Published Nov 29, 2020 03:58 pm

Anakalusugan Party-List Rep. Mike Defensor--the "last man standing" among the close allies of the previous Speaker--gave Alan Peter Cayetano his just desserts for helping stage the successful hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in the Philippines on its first year anniversary.

Defensor gave praise to Cayetano as well as Cavite Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who last Friday was reelected as president of the Philippine Olympic Commission (POC).

Cayetano, who served as Speaker for the first 15 months of the current 18th Congress, oversaw the biennial sports event in his capacity as Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) chairman. Tolentino was his close partner for the SEAG, which ran from November 30 to December 11, 2020.

"Cong Bambol did an excellent job in the 30th SEA Games for the youth and sports sector and for the entire country. We have won the most gold medals and it will always be a turning point in our sports history. I will always credit that to him and Speaker Cayetano," said Defensor, chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts.

"As for the issues (regarding alleged SEAG controversies), they continue to be intrigues and loose talk," he added.

Tolentino beat opponent Clint Aranas via a 30-22 vote en route to his new mandate as POC chief.

Aranas was one of the POC members who pressed Phisgoc to immediately submit the audited financial statements on the expenses for the country’s SEAG hosting last year. This, even as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) finished remitting its financial assistance only on September 4, 2020--almost 10 months after the event.

Aranas had also led a petition to disqualify Tolentino on various grounds, including conflict of interest relating to SEAG matters, ineligibility due to lack of time, and a suspended corporate license. The election committee chaired by lawyer Teodoro Kalaw IV ultimately junked the petition.

Cayetano in a separate statement said that Tolentino's reelection “signifies the vote of confidence of the leaders of the national sport associations to a more progressive and responsive leader."

"We hope that the POC leadership will continue to inspire and provide our athletes with the support they need during competitions," added the Taguig-Pateros lawmaker.

Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco assumed the Speakership from Cayetano last October 13 following a rather messy squabble that necessitated President Duterte's mediation.

The past few weeks have seen the removal of Cayetano's congressman-allies from key posts that they used to hold. These include Reps. LRay Villafuerte, Dan Fernandez, and Fred Castro from the position of deputy speaker; Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado from his chairmanship of the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability; and Tolentino from the chairmanship of the Committee on Accounts.

Cayetano had previously claimed that Velasco himself told President Duterte during one their Palace meetings that he wants to probe Phisgoc in connection with alleged SEAG anomalies. Such investigations are welcome, the former Speaker has said.

The Philippines took home the overall championship in the 30th SEAG after grabbing a total of 387 medals--149 of them gold. (Ellson A. Quismorio)

Related Tags

30th SEA Games Alan Peter Cayetano Anakalusugan Mike Defensor Southeast Asian Games
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