The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee said it has provided a total of only P21.8 million to the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee for payment of hotels in Bacolod City during the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

PhilSoc secretary general Stephen Hontiveros, in his letter to the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod dated Feb. 15, 2006, said their participation, as far as financing the BaSoc, is only to the extent of paying the hotels in Bacolod that served as billeting centers for delegates.

The letter was in response to SP Resolution No. 72 inquiring from PhilSoc and the Office of the President, the veracity of a news report alleging that P65 million was released to the Bacolod City government and to the BaSoc for the hosting of some of the events of the SEAG.

Hontiveros said majority of the fund that was entrusted to BaSoc were sent straight to it from either the Philippine Sports Commission or the Office of the President. He said PhilSoc has very little involvement in the organizing and management of the games in Bacolod. BaSoc was, therefore, very much independent of and autonomous from PhilSoc in the conduct of its affairs, he added.

BaSoc secretary general Eric Loretizo yesterday said it is a good thing that PhilSoc has put in writing that it only provided P21.8 million to BaSoc and not P65 million. He said the payment only came in January and the checks sent to them, amounting to the total amount declared by PhilSoc, were payable to the individual hotels or billeting centers, and not to BaSoc.

Loretizo said Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella even had to secure cash advances to pay the hotels in December 2005.

Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino yesterday said the SP is comparing the figures of PhilSoc with the declaration of BaSoc on the P9 million counterpart that the city gave it (BaSoc) in the hosting of the games.

He said the SP is collating all of the data because they want to give a report that is precise, accurate and backed up by pertinent documents.

Espino said the SP agreed yesterday to summon Loretizo and Arturo Altarejos Jr., chairman of the BaSoc finance committee. He said that in the event that there are wrongdoings on the part of the BaSoc officials, they will pursue "legal avenues."

"We welcome that but what charges will they file? What is there to hear if we are not hiding anything?" Loretizo asked.

Loretizo said Altarejos has already made it clear to the SP that he (Loretizo) is not the one handling the finances of BaSoc.*CGS

back to top