Rep. Monico Puentevella yesterday called on Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco and POC chairman Robert Aventajado to settle their differences and unite for the good of the country's sports program.

"If the reports are true that they (Cojuangco and Aventajado) are having a feud, then it is time for them to unite for the benefit of Philippine sports," Puentevella, who is the vice-president of the POC, said.

The rift between the two POC ranking officials reportedly began after the country's hosting of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games as Aventajado, who is also the Philippine SEAG Organizing Committee chairman, allegedly failed to raise the expected revenues during the biennial meet.

Reports also said that Cojuangco and Aventajado are quarreling over the controversy concerning the Basketball Association of the Philippines, that has been stricken off by the POC from its roster, but is still recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the official cage body of the country. The executive board of the country's Olympic body will hold a meeting at the Milky Way restaurant in Makati City today to discuss, among others, the reported feud between Cojuangco and Aventajado.

Puentevella said he will act as a "referee" in the meeting to iron out the differences between the two POC executives.

However, if Cojuangco and Aventajado could not put their act together, then one of them has to leave his post because the Filipino athletes and country's sports program will be the victims if the feud continues, he added.

Aside from the reported rift between Cojuangco and Aventajado, the POC is also confronted with financial problems like funding the Filipino athletes' training for the 2007 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar after First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo recently announced his withdrawal of support for the RP Team. *CIT

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