NCFP denies female chessers charges

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines yesterday threatened to ban two champion lady chessers for what the NCFP termed as their "baseless complaints and self-serving motives" against the chess association.

In a statement, NCFP secretary-general Sammy Estimo also belied allegations that Christine Rose Mariano and Sheerie Joy Lomibao have been stricken out of the PSC monthly payroll for absenteeism.

Estimo said they will not be distracted by the complaints lodged against the NCFP in the country’s bid to regain chess glory in this year’s SEA Games even if it means banning the two for a year, dropping them off the training pool and excluding them from the RP team bound for the Hanoi SEAG.

Mariano and Lomibao had earlier decried the NCFP’s move to drop them off the list for absenteeism.

But Estimo claimed that Mariano and Lomibao are in fact set to receive a certain amount equivalent to two days each for the two times they reported at the NCFP office.

"The two ladies will each receive the equivalent of two days for the two times they reported at the NCFP office," said Estimo.

But in documents recently obtained by The STAR from Eddie Pacheco, the Philippine Sports Commission’s monitoring officer, Mariano and Lomibao will not be receiving a single cent for the month of May.

"Kahit nga ni isang kusing wala kaming makukuha sa buwang ito pano niya sasabihing me makukuha kami," said Mariano, a many-time national women’s champion. "Sino ngayon ang nagsisinungaling."

Estimo also defended the NCFP’s decision to give Arianne Caoili the full monthly stipend of P4,000 despite the fact that the Fil-Aussie is currently based in Australia for two years now. He added that this has been the case for Caoili since year 2000.

Mariano said that this is a clear case of favoritism. "Ang ginagawa sa amin pinapapunta lang kami sa NCFP office para pumirma ng attendance, hindi para mag-training."