In the crossfire

A group of 34 shooters is appealing for the resignation of Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) president Art Macapagal.

It was Macapagal who offered to step down in a recent meeting with the country’s leading rifle and pistol shooters at Fort Bonifacio. But Macapagal said he will never turn his back on the sport that he loves. He stressed that he will only resign if a petition is submitted by shooters whom he respects.

The petition was filed a week ago. Among the signatories were Olympian and Southeast Asian (SEA) Games multi-medalist Jasmin Luis, SEA Games multi-medalist and PNSA director Johanna Torres, SEA Games multi-medalist and Asian Games veteran Susan Aguado, SEA multi-medalist and Asian Games veteran Gilbert Escobar, SEA Games multi-medalist and Asian Games veteran Marilu Samaco, SEA Games medalist Roberto Bote and SEA Games medalist Carlos Medina.

"The shooters who signed aren’t those he respects except for Jasmin," said three-time SEA Games campaigner Therese Cantada, a signatory in the petition. "He thinks we are troublemakers. As far as he is concerned, if we didn’t make a medal in the last SEA Games, you aren’t worth his attention. Some of the shooters who signed, he doesn’t even know exist because they’ve never been national team members but are active PNSA members. If he can disregard me and my achievements like being a Philippine record holder, what more these other shooters? Why does he equate respect with medal? That can be anyone’s opinion, I suppose, but not of a president of the PNSA."

Macapagal aired his side of the brewing PNSA war in this column last Wednesday.

In a rejoinder, Cantada took issue with Macapagal on his strategy of tapping Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shooters as the PNSA’s "development program of the future." Macapagal said the PNSA and AFP are combining forces to train 17 top-notch military shooters.

"Only three of the military shooters are PNSA members," pointed out Cantada. "Buti pa sila, they have the attention and respect of the PNSA president. Isn’t Mr. Macapagal alienating the civilian shooters? Majority of our shooting champions are civilians. The PNSA is an association for all. It’s not exclusive only for the military."

Cantada related the sad plight of Julius Valdez, winner of 10 SEA Games gold medals. In 1989, he bagged three golds and a silver at the SEA Games. Last month, Valdez accepted a coaching job in Kuwait.

"He left out of frustration," said Cantada. "He was the first to qualify for the 2003 SEA Games and again broke the criteria in September and October despite no ample support in terms of allowances, ammunition and top of the line equipment like his AFP counterparts. However, he was excluded from the team. Instead, an AFP shooter was sent in his place. As a former Marine, Valdez would’ve been a valuable addition as a coach to the AFP program but now foreigners are benefiting from his knowledge and experience."

Cantada said it’s unfair for Macapagal to accuse some shooters of protesting their deletion from the national pool because they’ve lost a means of livelihood. "He doesn’t appreciate the fact that athletes go to the range to practice whether or not there is an allowance or that they will find ways and means to shoot even if there is no more ammunition from the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) or that the guns keep breaking down or that the target machines don’t work anymore or that water pours inside the range whenever it’s raining," she continued. "The athletes sacrifice their time, giving up weekends with their families and passing up career opportunities. If it’s a livelihood we’re after, we would find something else that offers more than the meager allowance from the PSC that comes irregularly. We shoot because we love the sport."

Cantada argued that the PNSA must take a proactive role in developing shooting champions.

"It seems as if the plan is to wait for ready-made champions because the PNSA does not actively involve itself in the development of champions," she noted. "In the last SEA Games, the inclusion of Art Cabininan was disapproved despite being more qualified than many of the other shooters who were sent to compete. Under Mr. Macapagal’s administration, there has been no procurement of equipment, ammunition and target paper. When he took over as president, he cut down the number of shooters receiving allowances to reallocate the money for ammunition. His four-year term is ending and the ammunition has not materialized."

Cantada said the PNSA is too dependent on the PSC for funding and is paralyzed without government support. "A dynamic NSA (National Sports Association) finds sources of funding whenever possible to carry out its programs," she said.

Cantada, taking the cudgels for the other petitioners, said: "We want new leadership because we love the sport and we don’t want it to die. If Mr. Macapagal doesn’t respect us, he should at least respect the By-Laws of the PNSA and call for elections."

Macapagal isn’t the type to back down from a challenge. He’s more than willing to face his detractors head-on and answer their objections point-by-point. Dialogue is vital in settling differences. It boils down to communication.

As Macapagal said, he wasn’t bluffing when he offered to resign. He’s a man of his word. He doesn’t need the aggravation. He never sought the position and was voted in absentia.

If the PNSA’s day-to-day operations are taking a toll, Macapagal won’t probably mind relinquishing the obligation to somebody else. But I’m sure even Cantada will agree that the PNSA could use Macapagal’s stature and experience to advance to the next level.

Perhaps, the solution is for Macapagal to assume the chairmanship–if the position isn’t available, then create it–and call for elections to vote in his successor as president.