For The Best Interest Of CESAFI: Aznar: Tiukinhoy should resign as commissioner

CEBU, Philippines - For the best interest of the league, Felix “Boy” O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. should better resign as commissioner of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI).

This is the unsolicited but firm advice of Southwestern University (SWU) Ryan P. Aznar to Tiukinhoy, who he branded as “incompetent” and unfair as far as the way he handles the CESAFI affairs is concerned.

“I am really very disappointed with Tiukinhoy. Is he still fit to act as commissioner? It is up to the public to decide,” said Aznar in a press conference at the Grade School office of SWU. “I am at war with him. He should resign as commissioner because he does things on his own way without proper consultation with the schools involved.”

Aznar enumerated some salient points regarding his outburst over Tiukinhoy.

First, Aznar bravely accused Tiukinhoy of being a liar for not honestly telling the truth about the exact amount of the refund for the rehabilitation of SWU forward Cleford Maguate, who suffered a knee injury during Game 2 of the 3rd CESAFI Partner’s Cup finals last year.

Maguate went through rehabilitation under Dr. Rhoel Dejaño for an estimated budget of P43,200 for 72 sessions plus P100 transportation allowance equivalent to P7,200 and refund of MRI costing P8,580.

On the contrary, Aznar showed a receipt indicating that the CESAFI organizer represented by Tiukinhoy have given only a total of P19,800 broken into P15,780,00 in cash and P4,020 worth of one box muscle tape.

The rehabilitation costs P24,700 including fare to the Perpetual Succour Hospital and P8,580 for MRI. SWU even still has a collectible of P3,480,000 due for refund, which according to Aznar, Tiukinhoy claimed has been paid already.

“That is not true. I am objecting to that claim. In fact I have the receipts,” said Aznar. “He make me appear as being dishonest where in fact he’s the one who is lying to the public. That is a no-no being a respected businessman. Each and everyone of us has an integrity to protect.”

In a text message, however, Tiukinhoy refuted Aznar’s claims. “In connection with Ryan (Aznar’s accusation regarding his player Maguate on his injury bill that the Partner’s Cup have still a balance of P13,000, let me recall as this was still sometime April, 2009 after the tournament. During the finals of the Partner’s Cup, his player Maguate got injured which the doctor “Dr. Dejano, the official doctor of Partner’s Cup) says he needs rehabilitation,” said Tiukinhoy.

“I asked Dr. Dejano how long is the rehabilitation and he said 24 days. When Ryan came to my office to ask for payment, I told him that according to Dr. Dejano it will be 24 days. I also told Ryan that Maguate had a previous injury sometime in December 2008 that was why he was not able to join the CESAFI team to HK (Hong Kong). So he was not healthy to play and was prone to injury. That was why I negotiated to pay one half and the other half to be paid by the school. He accepted my payment,” further stated Tiukinhoy.

On the other end, Aznar said he was also disgruntled when Tiukinhoy made a proposal to the CESAFI board regarding the amendment of the CESAFI rules on eligibility of players.

Saying that he has at least two witnesses who can pinpoint that it was Tiukinhoy who suggested to the board to amend the eligibility rules, Aznar said “it is unfair to other schools not only to SWU.” “A commissioner must always be fair to all the members of the league. He must ensure that on one can take advantage. He must do due diligence (to his job),” said Aznar.

 In the 2008 CESAFI season, No. 2 of the eligibility rules stipulates that a student who has finished his college course and has played for only four years and still have one more playing year is allowed to enroll in another course in the same school in order for him to play his remaining one year. However, if he will transfer to another CESAFI member, he will have to undergo a one year residency before he is allowed to play.

Last year, Aznar said Tiukinhoy made a sudden change of heart as he suggested the amendment of such ruling for that particular season which still falls under no. 2 of the eligibility rule which states:

“A student who has finished his college course and has played only for four four years and still have one more year left is allowed to enroll in another course in the same school in order to play his remaining one year. He will only be allowed to transter to play the remaining one year to another CESAFI member school provided; 1) he enrolls in law or medicine and 2) he enrolls in a course not offered by his present school otherwise, he will have to undergo a one year residency before he is allowed to play.

The revision of the rule surprised Aznar and he firmly believed it was done to accommodate Moncrief Rogado’s transfer from USPF to UC.

Aznar said SWU did not approve such amendment by Tiukinhoy during the strategic planning and yet it was implemented.  

Aznar also cited Tiukinhoy’s mishandling of the volleyball controversy that eventually resulted into the lifetime ban of four concerned schools and their respective coaches.

Given such circums-tances which he deemed inimical to the CESAFI, Aznar said they will not be joining this year’s Partner’s Cup starting next Saturday. They also contemplate on skipping the 2010 CESAFI season unless the lifetime ban imposed by the league on Eliud Poligrates will be lifted.   (FREEMAN NEWS)