Two ranking Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) officials are engaged in a full-blown war.
In a letter to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin dated 6 November, PSC Commissioner Matthew “Fritz” Gaston reported to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the “questionable financial decisions” made by PSC Chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann.
Gaston alleged that some of Bachmann’s top executives were using their positions for financial gain. He said that Bachmann even asked the PSC to reimburse the travel expenses of his daughter during the Paralympic Games in Paris last September.
Then, to make sure that his complaint would reach a wider audience, Gaston reportedly leaked his official communication to the President, conveniently painting an ugly picture of Bachmann’s leadership.
Bachmann did not take the matter lightly.
He immediately issued a statement, saying the “allegations made against me, particularly those concerning financial decisions and requests for reimbursement, are misleading and lack substantial evidence.”
He added that “legitimate concerns and criticisms should be made through proper channels to maintain the integrity of the institution and protect it from baseless attacks and accusations.”
Having members of the PSC board of commissioners at war is nothing new. All throughout the 34-year history of the agency, we’ve seen a lot of ranking executives canceling each other out and even figuring in shouting matches inside the boardroom.
But we’ve never seen a PSC official taking the brazen move of sending an official letter to Malacañang to report the shortcomings of the incumbent chairman before leaking it to the public. What a disgrace.
Clearly, by reaching out to the President, the gloves are off and Gaston and Bachmann are ready to rumble.
The crack in their relationship had gotten obvious when they attended the birthday party of a senior PSC employee last Friday. Those who were around said they gave each other the ice-cold treatment, proving that things were not well between two of the highest officials in Philippine sports.
But, to put it quite frankly, the controversial rift between Gaston and Bachmann has nothing to do with misconduct or misuse of public funds. It’s a tug-of-war for power.
You see, it is no secret that Gaston is aspiring to become the next PSC chairman. Insiders at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex claim that shortly after the country’s successful participation in the Paris Olympics, Gaston lobbied hard to replace Bachmann as chief of the government’s top sports agenda.
But Gaston wasn’t the only official being mentioned as Bachmann’s possible replacement. Sources said that also being considered are former Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Patrick Gregorio, gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion, and former football president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta.
The race for the PSC chairmanship is said to be so heated, so intense, as it also involves control of a huge fund — reportedly around P25 billion — that would be coming from the delayed remittances of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Still, despite the noise, Bachmann has yet to be replaced. He still remains chief of the PSC.
That’s why Gaston is said to be going all out to shake him out to the point of resorting to the bold — and very shameful — move of reaching out to the President directly to report matters that could have been discussed in a civilized manner within the confines of the PSC boardroom.
What Gaston did wasn’t an embarrassment to Bachmann. It was an embarrassment to himself and the government sports agency. It shows the lack of maturity, the lack of civility and the lack of respect among ranking officials of an agency that is supposed to promote the values of teamwork, camaraderie and unity.
They are supposed to be role models for Filipinos, especially those dreaming of becoming national athletes, yet he openly displays selfishness and lust for power while turning the PSC into a dangerous snake pit.
With this, maybe it’s time for the Chief Executive to blow it up and appoint a new set of commissioners. The mutual trust, respect and friendship among members of the PSC board have obviously been eroded, leading to the backstabbing and mudslinging that are greatly damaging the entire institution and demoralizing its stakeholders, especially the athletes.
The PSC needs a fresh start. It needs leaders who will work as a team in the service of Filipino athletes without thinking of their personal interests or financial gain.
There will be no winner in this ugly duel between Gaston and Bachmann. Both of them will fall and Filipino athletes will suffer. And if that happens, Philippine sports will be in complete darkness with the glory of the country’s very successful campaign in the Paris Olympics expected to be forgotten.
