Chess Controversy: Mediator pulls out of talks

ISTANBUL, Turkey – Hopes of bringing the Philippine Chess Federation and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines to a dialogue to reach a common solution to their problems dimmed as the East Asian zone president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Wednesday withdrew from the talks.

Ignatius Leung, president of Zone 3.2A of FIDE, said he was withdrawing from the dialogue after he failed to get NCFP president Eugene Torre to the meeting set Tuesday night.

Leung was quoted as saying Torre had wanted PCF president Jesus Ingeniero, who is here to contest the membership of the NCFP, to personally request Torre for the meeting. The PCF president would not accede to the request.

"I did not request for this meeting, so I don’t have to request him for such," said Ingeniero.

PCF officials met with Leung Sunday to inquire whether he really made a damaging report that was later presented to the FIDE Presidential Board and became one of the bases for FIDE’s approval of the NCFP application for membership Aug, 27 in Tehran, Iran.

Leung was in the Philippines to serve as tournament arbiter for the Philippine Chess Classic where Bong Villamayor eventually earned his third and last GM norm. During his stint, he was a guest of honor of former FIDE president Florencio Campomanes and had the change to talk to Filipino chess players.

PCF blamed Leung for issuing the report without getting its reaction, citing a memorandum of agreement reached by 12 members of the zone 3.2A to protect the rights of a member in the FIDE organization.

Leung, president of the Singapore Chess Federation, was voted president of the zone after the Philippines’ FIDE delegate, Enofre Manuel, who is here as PCF delegate, declined to accept his election as zone 3.2A president during the FIDE Congress in Kalmykia, Russia in 1998. Manuel was recommended to the presidency by Campomanes in a surprise move allegedly resented by Leung. Manuel declined in favor of Leung.

Campomanes wanted Manuel to become zone president to ensure the Philippines’ hosting of the Zone 3.2A eliminations for the World Championships in 1999. Myanmar eventually hosted the event.

In efforts to clear his name in the controversy on the NCFP’s membership, of which he was a major factor, Leung offered to mediate between the PCF and NCFP a week before the FIDE Congress is to make a final decision on which Philippine chess organization will have legal representation.

The PCF team, led by GM-Candidate Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr., was barred from competing here while the PCF was delisted from the roster of FIDE members.

In their place, the NCFP-backed players, led by GM Eugene Torre, was the accredited squad, with Casto Abundo, a confidante of Campomanes, the FIDE delegate.

Meanwhile, the NCFP-backed RP team lost to Spain, 1-3, in the fourth round of the Chess Olympiad Tuesday. GM Bong Villamayor and NM Idelfonso Datu drew with Pons Vallejo and Magem Badals, respectively, to avert a shutout loss for the Filipinos as GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr. and IM Barlo Nadera fell to their respective rivals.

Antonio lost to Spain’s top player Alexei Shirov in a Caro-Kann game, while Nadera’s three-win run was snapped by Comas Fabrego in their Slav-Meran variation.

With 9.5 points, the team slipped to 39th to 54th places after placing in joint 12th on two victories and a draw Monday.