Rep. Monico Puentevella yesterday said he plans to file a resolution in Congress to conduct an inquiry on the age-cheating controversy that hounded the Palarong Pambansa in Naga City.

Puentevella, Philippine Olympic Committee first vice-president, told the DAILY STAR that he will look into the sufficiency of the supporting papers and footages that will be forwarded by the parents from the National Capital Region before filing a resolution next week. The inquiry will be a strong message to coaches and principals of the different schools and regions to make sure that their athletes are qualified not only in Palaro hostilities, but in all kinds of competitions, the Bacolod solon said.

He said that the inquiry may address cheating anomalies and eliminate the bad practices in the Palaro.

The parents of the NCR elementary baseball players have requested Puentevella to follow up the case in Congress. They complained their children's counterparts from Calabarzon and Eastern Visayas were overaged.

The NCR parents have also forwarded a complaint letter to acting Education Secretary Fe Hidalgo, concerning the cheating that occurred in the recent national meet.

Puentevella said he has already asked the DepEd to implement stiffer sanctions once the allegations are proven.

The mother of one of the Calabarzon batters has admitted on national TV that her son is already 19 years old, six years over the age limit in the elementary division.

A trackster from Mimaropa also withdrew from seeing action in the elementary boys' athletics hostilities after the coaches and trainers from the other regions recognized him as a second year college student at the Far Eastern University.

In a related development, Hidalgo and Philippine Sports Commission chairman William "Butch" Ramirez recently agreed to form a stricter management committee that would examine the various details of each athlete before they are allowed to participate in the national meet.

The PSC will assist in sending athletes and officials to the Philippine Sports Institute and join the National Unified Sports Program to further their involvement in sports.

In the next Palaro, the PSC will occupy two seats in the organizing committee, while the POC and a representative of the National Sports Association will have one seat apiece. The DepEd will retain its original six seats. *CIT

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