Give it up, Butch - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

Why is Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Butch Tuason clinging to his position like his life depended on it? He certainly doesn’t need the job. Butch is independently wealthy and would probably be happier attending to the concerns of his favorite sport, shooting, than trying to save his office at the Rizal Memorial complex.

Butch should’ve resigned when President Estrada was booted out of Malacañang. He was Estrada’s appointee and served at his pleasure. With Estrada gone, he lost his backer. Ah, but maybe, Butch figured that as First Gentleman Mike Arroyo’s first cousin, he had a new backer and a fresh mandate to continue on the job.

What Butch didn’t bargain for was people power.

Yesterday, more than 100 national athletes trooped to Malacañang to ask for Butch’s head. Is it true that Butch desperately tried to dissuade the athletes from marching? There was talk that Sen. Tito Sotto and Mike Keon appealed in Butch’s behalf to abort the march.

But the athletes had made up their minds to march last Saturday morning. Wild horses couldn’t hold them back.

The athletes initially thought of including Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Celso Dayrit in their hit list. Dayrit, however, was spared in the end. The government, of course, has nothing to do with the POC which is autonomous but who will deny the impact of Malacañang’s influence?

The athletes’ main beef is the PSC isn’t taking care of them. If money is short, the athletes are wondering how the PSC can afford to spend millions on infrastructure and unnecessary foreign travel for officials. At the Sydney Olympics, Filipino athletes and newsmen saw how PSC officials helped themselves to the people’s money. The officials were spotted queuing for autographs of sports stars, debating on which event to watch – the basketball finals or the tennis championship, and living the good life while the athletes as usual scrimped on their meager funds.

Poor Butch is being pilloried for the country’s debacles at the last Southeast Asian Games and the Olympics. It’s probably unfair to heap the blame on him. The responsibility of the athletes’ performance doesn’t rest on any one person’s shoulders. The sad reality is someone’s got to take the rap and Butch is at the wrong place at the wrong time.

So if Butch goes, who will take his place?

Yesterday, Executive Secretary Renato de Villa asked for nominees from about 30 representatives of the rallying athletes at a private meeting. Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) Secretary-General Graham Lim suggested Cristy Ramos. National men’s basketball team coach Boysie Zamar concurred. Philip Juico was also nominated.

I heard that more than the PSC position, Cristy — who joined the rally — dreams of displaying Dayrit’s scalp in her trophy room. It was Dayrit who engineered another version of people power in ousting Cristy as POC President before her term expired.

The scuttlebutt is if Cristy and Go combine forces, they might be able to muster a majority to pay back Dayrit. But does Philippine sports need another bloodbath?

Butch should realize there’s no stemming the tide. The writing is clearly on the wall. His days are numbered. He should make the ultimate sacrifice and let go just like Freddie Jalasco did in the BAP row. Butch had his chance — now, it’s somebody else’s turn to run the PSC show.

The people have spoken. The athletes have spoken. Butch has nothing to be ashamed of. He tried his best but it just wasn’t good enough. Holding on to his position for dear life would be an embarrassment to his first cousin.

And when Butch leaves, that should be the cue for the remaining Commissioners to exit, too. They really should have left when President Arroyo was sworn in.