Rep. Monico Puentevella yesterday lamented the decision of First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo to withdraw his support from the Philippine Olympic Committee.

"The victims (of Arroyo's decision) will be the athletes and sports program of the country," Puentevella, who is the vice-president of the POC, told the DAILY STAR.

Arroyo, who asked big companies to adopt National Sports Associations and shoulder the athletes' training expenses for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in November and December last year, recently announced that he will severe his ties with sports after being criticized for his support for the Philippine Team.

Puentevella said he tried to convince the Arroyo to change his decision, but the First Gentleman just got fed up with the antics of the opposition to want everything to be bad for the country.

The POC, headed by president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco, admitted last week that it is incapable of sending its athletes for overseas training in preparation for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar next year after Arroyo decided to withdraw his support.

It would be really difficult to bring home a gold in the Asian Games if the athletes will not be able to train abroad, Puentevella said.

The Philippines' goal to claim its first-ever Olympic gold in Beijing, China in 2008 will also be a more arduous task if the country will not be successful in the Asian Games, he added.

The Bacolod solon said the opposition should be blamed for putting the country's hope of winning 10 golds in the Asian Games in jeopardy by not appreciating the efforts of Arroyo.

"If Mike (Arroyo) will not assist anymore, maybe its time for the members of the opposition to help the cause of Philippine sports," he added. *CIT

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