Veguillas resigns

Philippine Sports Commission Carlos "Butch" Tuason yesterday said Philippine Karatedo Federation president Manuel "Pocholo" Veguillas had faxed him a letter of resignation Monday, ending the leadership controversy that placed the PKF and its president on the brink of expulsion and jeopardized athlete's training.

Tuason confirmed he received the letter Monday night, 12 hours before he appeared before sportswriters during the Philipine Sportswriters Association weekly sports forum at the Holiday Inn.

"The letter is self-explanatory. I would like to commend him (Veguillas) for his effort to save the sport by resigning," said Tuason. "From what I've read, the PKF was in danger of expulsion from the Philippine Olympic Committee had he not quit."

The POC took the plight of the karatekas who resigned en masse by forming an investigation committee and later an arbitration committee to look into the complaints.

Veguillas at first questioned the legality of the committee, saying the complaints should have first taken up with the PKF leadership by the karatekas before the POC intervened. It later sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the committee from making its probe.

With pressure from the PSC and a POC threat that it would withdraw the membership of the PKF, Veguillas was forced to resign.

Tuason added he had talked to Veguillas before receiving his note and the latter promised "to account for all the equipment that PSC provided the PKF since time immemorial."

The PSC chairman, however, said the resignation of Veguillas did not signal the end of the PSC's investigation into his alleged mishandling of equipment and incentives.

"As long as we have evidence, like the sworn statements of the athletes, we will not stop our investigation. We will get to the bottom of this," he said.