AMID issues of propriety raised by weightlifting chief Monico Puentevella, the Philippine Olympic Committee general assembly yesterday approved the provisional membership of the newly-formed Philippine National Volleyball Federation Inc. led by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
In the session held simultaneously at the Hyatt Grand Hotel in Taguig City and online, the POC general assembly ratified the unanimous decision of the POC Executive Board last Tuesday to recognize the results of the polls last Monday and grant the new volleyball group provisional recognition.
Suzara, 60, was elected as the new president of the new group by 31 out of 32 volleyball stakeholders represented during the polls at the East Ocean Plaza Restaurant in Paranaque.
The polls, supervised by the POC, were held under the instructions of the International Volleyball Federation.
But before the assembly could decide on the issue, Puentevella, who was physically present at the meeting, rose to question the personality of Suzara, the president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee that managed the 30th SEA Games in 2019.
He noted the fact that Suzara was tasked by the POC general assembly last Sept. 30 to furnish the body with the PHISGOC report, including the audited financial statements. Suzara has yet to comply as of yesterday.
“In fairness to the POC, let me be the first to endorse Mr. Suzara as volleyball president if and when he complies with the demand of the POC approved by the POC general assembly but he must comply before he becomes a member of this august body,” the former lawmaker and Bacolod City mayor stressed.
“If you allow this personality (Suzara) to join us, we will be the laughing stock of sports loving people,” he said
But Puentevella was overruled in his motion by the body while POC secretary general Atty. Ed Gastanes, who presided over the polls last Monday, noted the concern raised by the weightlifting president was an “extraneous” issue, adding there are other bodies such as the POC Arbitration and Ethics commissions that can handle the matter.
“The poor guy (Suzara) has to be given the opportunity to defend himself and where it should be done, but by a proper body such as POC Ethics Commission and POC Arbitration Commission. Let’s make use of that,” Gastanes said.
