AFP recalls RP athletes

The country’s preparations for this year’s Asian Games in Busan, South Korea are bound to suffer a lethal blow if the military implements an order requiring all national athletes and coaches to report to their mother units.

The Philippine Navy, for instance, wants all its enlisted men serving the national team to report for a six-month basic training starting on Feb. 11. The Philippine Air Force is expected to follow suit with a three-month exercise while the Philippine Army has yet to annnounce its schedule

The order, according to Col. Julius dela Torre of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Services Division, came amid reports that there are some military personnel who have not reported back to their mother units despite the fact that they have ceased to be members of the national team.

Expected to feel the brunt of the recent order is the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, which has 16 athletes and coaches under the Philippine Navy. The coaches are Roel Velasco, Glicerio Catolico, Isidro Vicera, and 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games gold medalists Elias Recaido and Reynaldo Galido.

Among the boxers who have chances of competing in the Asian Games this September but are being recalled are Larry Semillano, Rene Villaluz, Roel Laguna, Ferdie Gamo, Vincent Palicte and Lhyven Salazar. The others are Juanito Magliquian, Mario Tizon, Florencio Ferrer, Joegen Ladon and female boxer Maria Angelita Bautista.

"That’s why we are appealing to the higher authorities because this will bring to naught all the sacrifices these coaches and boxers have made so far. Six months is such a long time and once they return, their boxing skills would have diminished. Maybe they can do something about this," ABAP chief Manny Lopez told The STAR yesterday.

Lopez said they have written Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command V/Adm. Victorino S. Hingco as early as Dec. 20 last year regarding the detailing of the 16 coaches and boxers to the Philippine Sports Commission. The PSC also wrote a similar request signed by commissioner Butch Ramirez last Jan. 24.

Also bound to lose athletes and coaches to the AFP for basic training are track and field, rowing, weightlifting and wrestling.

"That’s why we are asking the PSC to formally make a request before the AFP to reconsider this order affecting national athletes or coaches. Then once the athletes return from the Asian Games, they can undergo the basic training," said a rowing official. "Besides, we are now preparing for the Asian Championships in Japan in July," he added.