An innocent inquiry could hamper the country's hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

The Commission on Audit (CoA) reached out to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), asking for a document that will show the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) officially appointing the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) as responsible in organizing the country's hosting of the biennial meet.

In a document obtained by *Daily Tribune*, CoA is looking for any available document showing that the POC tapped Phisgoc to be the chief organizer of the Games, which is contrary to the country's previous hosting in 2005 where an executive order and a memorandum of agreement (MoA) had been presented.

Phisgoc was assembled weeks before the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2017.

But Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri backed out as chairman. Then, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano stepped up to save the country's hosting. A press conference was organized to announce the involvement of the former Taguig lawmaker. Then, Cayetano flew to Kuala Lumpur to receive the Southeast Asian Game Federation Council flag during the closing ceremonies of the SEA Games, signifying his readiness to serve as chief organizer of the Games.

Also last year, Ricky Vargas defeated Cojuangco in a special election for the POC presidency while Phisgoc still pushed through with its preparations for the hosting.

But according to a CoA, there was no proof showing that the POC authorized Phisgoc to organize the Games.

"There was no mention in the available documents that the POC entrusted to Phisgoc the responsibility for the preparation and organization of the 2019 SEA Games," said CoA in a communiqué to the PSC.

"Unlike in the previous MoA and EO for the hosting of the 2005 SEA Games, it was stated therein that such task was entrusted to the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc)."

A senior POC executive council member admitted that there really is no document — a board resolution or a MoA — that shows that the POC appointed Phisgoc as the SEA Games organizer.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source stressed that hosting the Games is the sole responsibility of the POC and the appointment of a third-party organizer like Phisgoc should emanate from both the POC executive council and general assembly.

The source added that Vargas "may have overlooked" this very crucial matter when he assumed office in February last year, but it still warrants serious attention as the lack of a POC board resolution, general assembly approval and an MoA could leave Phisgoc with no juridical entity that casts doubts on the legality of its existence.

After all, Phisgoc is reportedly drawing fund from the POC with the latest amounting to P7.2 million to cover the salary of its executives for the month of January.

"Not to my recollection," said the source when asked if Phisgoc and POC have signed an MoA to make their relationship legally binding.

"If there's no MoA between the POC and Phisgoc, our SEA Games preparation will be in trouble because it (Phisgoc) is not standing on a solid legal ground. It's going to be very difficult to determine the accountability and liability if something happens."

The source said an emergency meeting among the POC, PSC and Phisgoc should be called as soon as possible to define their respective roles. Once the roles have been defined, then it's time for the POC to process the board approval and draft the MoA.

> *There was no mention in the available documents that the POC entrusted to Phisgoc the responsibility for the preparation and organization of the 2019 SEA Games.*

"An urgent meeting to define their roles should be in order," said the source, an old hand in the local Olympic council.

"We still have time. We have to define our roles as soon as possible to avoid any legal problem from cropping up in the future."

The PSC has yet to respond to CoA's inquiry.