GTK slams POC probe, threatens to quit posts

Facing investigation for his alleged involvement in the current basketball mess, athletics chief Go Teng Kok yesterday lambasted the Philippine Olympic Committee then announced his intention to give up his various positions in the Olympic body.

"This is very unfair to me. And I deny all these. All these are lies," said a fuming GTK a day after POC president Jose Cojuangco announced the creation of an investigative committee that will literally place the former under the microscope.

The very controversial sports figure is being accused by the POC as the man behind the Basketball Association of the Philippines’ bid for reinstatement at the POC. GTK’s closeness with BAP secretary-general Graham Lim may have fanned this accusation.

"I was the first to expel the BAP, so it wouldn’t look good if I reinstate the BAP. Yes, everyday I’m with Graham Lim. Basketball is a different issue. But my friendship with Graham is also different," said GTK, who carries an on-and-off relationship with the embattled BAP official.

Cojuangco had previously said that BAP’s reinstatement at the POC is a foregone conclusion. The POC president had even vowed to resign than have the BAP reinstated.

The BAP expulsion from the POC last year led to the FIBA suspension on the Philippines. Recently, however, a solution to the mess seemed at hand with the creation of Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas following unification talks between Pilipinas Basketball and BAP.

But the BAP suddenly had a change of heart regarding its support of SBP and its major benefactor, businessman Manny V. Pangilinan.

This led to the resignation of BAP head Joey Lina, the appointment of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada as the replacement, and moves by BAP members to either have Estrada named SBP president or have their 70-year-old association reinstated by the POC.

As all these were happening, the POC had apparently been watching GTK’s moves. The other day, Cojuangco tapped POC chairman Robert Aventajado to lead the team that will investigate GTK.

"If this investigation finds out that I’m guilty I will be kicked out. But if I clear myself I will resign from all the positions that were appointed to me by Mr. Cojuangco. Talagang wala na ako (I’m out of here)," said GTK.

GTK serves as special assistant to Cojuangco and as head of the POC ways and means committee. He also served as chairman of the rules and sports committee of the last SEA Games, and was named by Cojuangco as task force head of this year’s Asian Games.

The POC also accused GTK of gathering signatures from the different national sports association for the reinstatement of the BAP.

"Up to now I carry the name of special assistant to Mr. Cojuangco so if there’s anything I will do against Peping Cojuangco I will resign first. There are 38 NSAs. You can go around and ask anyone if I’m going around asking them to sign this paper," GTK told reporters.

GTK said Cojuancgo should have talked to him first to get his side before placing him under investigation.

The athletics president then turned ballistic.

"There are other things to investigate. Why me? They can investigate Victor Valbuena (table tennis president) how he used the names of the athletes. Hihingi siya ng $150 for each athlete tapos $50 lang ang binibigay," said GTK.

Then he turned to POC and SEA Games Organizing Committee sec-gen, and bowling head Steve Hontiveros. He also took a dig at Monico Puentevella, the POC vice president and weightlifting president.

"Where did all those office equipment used in the last (Manila) SEA Games go? And there’s no investigation. Now, Steve Hontiveros wants me to be declared persona non grata? He hasn’t even filed a report after the SEA Games. He should be the one investigated," said GTK of Hontiveros.