Corruption raps filed against PSC, POC

The Table Tennis Association of the Philippines, through its Chairman, Jacinto Omilla Jr, charged Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Ricardo Garcia and Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose Cojuangco, Jr., among others, for violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

According to the complaint filed by Omilla with the Office of the Ombudsman, the PSC released funds and issued checks to the group of Ting Ledesma who have been misrepresenting themselves as the officers of TATAP. The release of funds were made despite a pending issue on the legitimate officers of TATAP which is currently the subject of a court case in the Regional Trial Court of Manila.

In a response made by PSC Chairman Garcia to an inquiry made by TATAP through its counsel, Garcia made an admission that despite his knowledge of the pending legitimacy issue between TATAP and the Ledesma group, he released funds amounting to P 2,327,465 to the Ledesma group. Omilla said that this action made by the PSC violates the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019 and clearly shows manifest partiality, evident bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence.

Omilla added that having been informed of the pending case in the RTC of Manila, prudence dictates that Garcia should have refrained from entertaining the group of Ledesma. Instead, the Commission through Garcia acknowledged the group of Ledesma, worse, he released financial assistance to the group giving unwarranted private benefits.

In 2011, TATAP members voted to remove all the members of the Board due to lost of confidence and subsequently elected new set of Board of Trustees and officers. Despite the said election, certain personalities in the person of Ting Ledesma, Fauzia Anne Andanar, and Arnel Berroya have misrepresented themselves as the newly-elected officers of TATAP. In 2012, the Philippine Olympic Committee, headed by Jose Cojuangco, Jr., recognized Ledesma's group after a purported election held in the same year.

Among the respondents in the case filed by TATAP are: Jose Cojuangco Jr., Ricardo Garcia, Salvador Andrada, Gillian Akiko Guevarra, Wigberto Clavecilla Jr., Ting Ledesma, Annie Andanar, Domingo Panlilio, Arnel Berroya, and Ma. Theresa Diniega.

Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV is the current president of TATAP which filed the said corruption case.