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By Eddie G. Alinea,
Contributor
Some members of the RP national
cycling team yesterday denounced the coaching staff for conspiring
with some officials over alleged anomalies in the purchase and
procurement of spare parts, equipment and other supplies intended
for the 2007 Southeast Asian Games.
Named respondents in a
letter-complaint sent to Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose
“Peping” Cojuangco, Philcycling head Bert Lina and Philippine
Sports Commission Chairman Williams “Butch” Ramirez were head
coach Jommel Lorenzo, and coaches Renato Dolosa, Dindo
Quirimit, Frederick Parr and Dante Valdez.
Among those who signed the letter
were SEA Games gold medalists Alfie Catalan and Baby Marites Bitbit,
teammates Carlo Jazul, Eusebio Quiñones, Paulo Manapul, Nino Surban,
Mark Julius Bonzo, March McQuin Aleonar, Arnold Marcelo, Nilo Estayo,
Edwin Niyo and Warren Davadilla.
In the letter, the cyclists said
they did not recieve most of the spare parts and equipment.
And if there were that got into their hands before departing for the
Sea Games, these were of inferior quality.
The total amount procured by the
PSC for the cycling team is said to be more than P2 million, the
complainants claimed.
Catalan, Jazul, Quiñones,
Niyo, Estayo, Manapul, Marcelo and Aleonor visited last week’s
SCOOP Forum to personally voice their gripes, which they attested
remained unacted upon by concerned sports officials despite their
written complaints on Janaury 8.
What was worst they bewailed was
the removal from the RP national team by Philcycling of all cyclists
who signed the petition paper.
“Ang pinalabas na balita
dinisband daw ang RP team, pero ang tutoo, kami lang na pumirma sa
petisyon ang tinanggal, ” Jazul lamented.
Also named in the complaint was
Elixer Trading in Cartimar, Pasay City, reportedly owned by a
Philcycling director, where the said equipments, spare parts and
supplies were allegedly sold.
Catalan cited during the ACCEL-sponsored
forum that the Giant Downhill bike made in Taiwan was bought
for P298,509 each but the actual price was only P199,000.
The Wiperman brand of chain,
which Bitbit was supposed to use in her winning event
was substituted by Lorenzo with an inferior Shimano brand.
A pair of Shimano Dura Ace worth
P70,000 each as listed in the PSC purchasing reciept did not reach
their hands, the cyclists alleged in their letter.
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