Deepening rift brings team morale down

HO CHI MINH (Via Globe Telecom) — The Philippine chess team here is now deeply divided with no solution to the problem in sight.

The rift between two groups has come to a head that they’re now giving each other the cold shoulder, putting in jeopardy the team’s bid to corner the lion’s share of gold medals in the first staging of chess event in the Southeast Asian Games.

Grandmasters Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor and women FIDE master Sheerie Joy Lomibao even accused coach Sammy Estimo and team captain GM Eugene Torre of conduct unbecoming of team officials.

"Dalawang grupo na ang team. Kahit sa pagkain, magkahiway ng lamesa. Walang kibuan," said Antonio.

"It’s clear, walang leadership. Pinabayaan magkagulo-gulo ang team. Ngayon bagsak ang morale ng lahat at walang team spirit," said Villamayor.

The root cause of the problem? The fight for the slots in the individual rapid chess event — and allegedly the monetary incentive awaiting the medal winner in Manila.

Antonio, Villamayor and Lomibao, however, stressed it’s not about money but their rightful claim to the slots in the event.

Villamayor and Lomibao topped the rapid eliminations back in Manila last May but both were eased out of the event here. Tapped to play were Antonio and GM-candidate Mark Paragua in the men’s and Christine Mariano and Beverly Mendoza in the women’s.

"Ang inilalaban ko lang slot ko yan dahil nakuha ko yan sa eliminations sa Manila. What’s their right to put Mark there without even consulting me," said Villamayor.

"Napakasakit ng ginawa nila sa akin. I prepared long and hard for this event tapos biglang iba ang inilaban nila ng wala man lang pasabi sa akin. Actually, nalaman ko sa ibang team pa," said Lomibao.

Contacted by The STAR, Estimo refused to comment, saying he didn’t want the crisis to go out of hand with chess competition now underway at the Van Don Competition Hall.

"I understand that somehow may masasaktan but I have to do my job. Naglalaro na at padating pa si First Gentleman (Mike Arroyo) who has special attention on chess. Huwag na natin palakihin," he said.

Antonio told The STAR that the group had actually got a consensus that Villamayor and Lomibao would play the rapid, but the issue of cash incentives got in the way.

"Nag-propose si Eugene in a meeting na okay si Bong na ang lalaro pero may division sa incentive na makukuha.

Noong sinabi namin na iisipin namin, nag-walk out si Eugene at sabi sige ipagdadasal na lang namin na matalo kayo," said Antonio.

"Si Mack-Mack hindi raw pwedeng alisin sa individual rapid dahil kapag inalis, hindi na lalaro kahit saang events. Ano naman klaseng leadership meron sila," said Villamayor.

"Tapos sabi sa akin ni Sammy (Estimo), are you willing to take the blame if we lose? Bakit ganon ang nasa isip niya, eh rightful slot ko naman iyon," Villamayor added.

Lomibao, meanwhile, said Torre dared those who want to go home to do so. "Ire-report na lang daw niya sa secretariat at patatanggalan ng monthly allowance sa PSC," she said.