HANGZHOU, China — The gloves are off as Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino questioned the Philippine Sports Commission for issuing a letter that demands them to liquidate funds that were used 25 years ago.

According to the demand letter that Tolentino received on 20 September, the same day the Team Philippines was officially welcomed in the 19th Asian Games here, the PSC is asking the Olympic body to liquidate the financial assistance worth P10 million used during the country's participation in the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.

"Why send the letter on September 20? Why not after the closing ceremony? Perhaps 10 October when we have all gone home," Tolentino told Filipino reporters on Saturday, the morning after Gilas Pilipinas bagged the men's basketball crown.

"I kept this to myself since the start of the Games, but after I reached my goal of four gold medals, I couldn't keep this to myself any longer," Tolentino said.

"It's that bad."

The unliquidated P10 million is traced back to the term of Cristy Ramos as president of the POC, which had experienced financial issues with the PSC, then chaired by Philip Ella Juico.

Ramos sought Malacañang's help for the Bangkok 1998 campaign with then President Fidel Ramos heeding the request that cascaded down the government sports arm.

The financial assistance for the Bangkok campaign was sourced from the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation but was eventually deducted as the government gaming body's contribution to the PSC.

"We weren't even born yet (in 1998)," said Tolentino, who was not yet involved in top tier sports in 1998, especially in the POC as he was elected interim president in 2018 and officially got the post in 2020.

Tolentino added that the particular PSC check of P10 million was released only in September 2016, 18 years after the Bangkok Games.

"While we were here on the first day (19 September) and waving the Philippine flag, they sent us the letter with an instruction 'to answer within five days upon receipt,'" he said. "Give me one valid reason for the Filipino people on the timing of the sending the letter. Why? To distract us? That's malicious intent — bad faith."

Tolentino slammed the move as opposed to teamwork at the Asian Games where winning gold — or a bronze — is a tough task.

"We're not working as a team here," he said.

"Perhaps the PSC's looking for ways to get back at the POC and in their haste, they did that through this unliquidated issue."

"Is that the right thing to do? Is that from someone who's in his right mind if we're supposed to be on the same team in these Asian Games?"

The PSC also asked the POC to liquidate P2.5 million in financial assistance to athletes and officials in last year's 31st Southeast Asian Games and another P600,000 for the national swimming team's preparation and participation in the Cambodia SEA Games last May.

"That P2.5 million (Vietnam) we can liquidate because it was spent for the airfare of athletes and coaches who flew early for the SEA Games, even Commissioner (Olivia) Bong Coo availed herself of that early departure to Vietnam," Tolentino said.

"With the assistance of the swimming team, we're reconciling all the documents… that we'll liquidate because the swimming association was suspended then and the POC supervised its operations."

"But not the P10M for the 1998 Asian Games."

Tolentino said that traditionally, notices for liquidation are sent to the POC by the PSC Accounting Office.

"We're not under CoA, we're not government, we're a private entity," he said.