Long wait over for Campomanes

For someone who just got himself out of a court case that lasted almost 10 years, Florencio Campomanes is only glad that it’s over.

"After 10 years, I have been vindicated in that the original premise of the charges filed against me cannot stand," the 79-year-old Campomanes said yesterday.

"And for 10 years I suffered. But I’m glad that people have noticed I was able to keep my sanity and occasionally, my sense of humor," added the long-time president of FIDE, the international chess federation.

Campomanes furnished The STAR a copy of the Supreme Court decision, that came out Dec. 16, 2006, acquitting him of the charges that arose from the country’s hosting of the 1992 World Chess Olympiad and FIDE congress.

The case stemmed from accusations that Campomanes and then Philippine Sports Commission chairman Cecilio Hechanova were allegedly involved in irregularities in the disbursement and liquidation of the funds that amounted to P12,876,088.

"Those 10 years of suffering, I can now wash them down the drain. Now they can watch my smoke at the end of my tailpipe," he said.

"I have regained the faith in our justice system. It took 10 long years probably because I didn’t undertake the shortcuts. And I’m glad that I did not. Now, I can look at the mirror in the morning each time I wake up and I can look at myself," said Campomanes, now FIDE’s honorary president.

Campomanes learned of the Supreme Court decision just recently, upon his arrival from a three-month swing that took him to Moscow for a big tournament, to Doha for the 15th Asian Games, and New York to spend some time with his family.

"The first thing I did was gather my children who are here in Manila, and we went out for dinner," he said. "And one of them told me that it’s a money off my back. It is. Now, I am re-tired. And not retired. I feel like I’m running on new tires."

Hechanova and Campomanes were charged in 1997, and in 2003 the Sandiganbayan rendered its decision. For the prosecution’s failure to prove conspiracy between the two, Hechanova was acquitted, and Campomanes was sentenced to one year and 10 months of imprisonment.

But on reconsideration, the Sandiganbayan in 2004 reduced Campomanes’ penalty to a fine of P6,000 due to his advanced age. The chess official was 69 years old then.

With the help of some friends Campomanes went to the Supreme Court, which ruled with finality only last Dec. 16, acquitting Campomanes.