AS HIS feud with Peping Cojuangco, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), continues to heat up, Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez has gotten the full support of his colleagues from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
“We, the whole board, are in support of Commissioner Mon Fernandez. The accusations against him were beyond his role as a PSC commissioner. It is his right to protect his honor,” said PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez.
Ramirez said defending Fernandez is like defending the entire PSC.
“My commissioner is a man of authority, he is a presidential appointee and an assistant secretary at that. He’s an extension of the chairman and the president. When you hit Mon, you hit me, you hit the president and you hit the government,” said Ramirez on Tuesday night in a dinner hosted by Cebuano sportsman Lorenzo “Chao” Sy at Hotel Fortuna.
Fernandez has threatened to file libel charges against Cojuangco, who accused him of “game-fixing” during his colorful PBA career.
“I will not pursue filing charges on the condition that he retracts and resigns from POC,” said Fernandez at the sidelines of PSC’s consultative meeting with mayors and governors from the Visayas last Tuesday morning.
“I had no doubt that I will be backed by the PSC board. We are only implementing what (President Rodrigo) Duterte ordered us to do as far as helping the sports grassroots program of the government,” added Fernandez.
Alleged funds misuse were the issues that Fernandez have been raising against Cojuangco, who is on his fourth term as POC president.
“As assistant secretary, we are plainly implementing FOI (Freedom of Information) in our office. That’s why I have been releasing the records of the financial assistance released to to NSAs (National Sports Associations) and POC. Pangangalagaan namin ang pera ng mga taxpayers. As a former national athlete, that’s where I’m coming from,” said Fernandez.
Cojuangco countered that PSC should stop meddling with the affairs of POC.
But Ramirez said the PSC has the right to interfere as someone must be held accountable for missing funds.
POC allegedly has an unliquidated funds of close to P130 million.
“It is in the law that we can interfere. We did not create the conflict. He (Cojuangco) said stop meddling, we say stop asking money,” Ramirez said.