Sacked Chessers to appeal suspension

Chess players charged with game-fixing yesterday appealed to the National Chess Federation of the Philippines to reconsider its decision suspending them for a year or six months for their involvement in the scam.

Chito Garma, an Olympiad veteran and one of those suspended, said he was disappointed with the NCFP verdict and said he would appeal the case.

"I will definitely appeal it," Garma told The STAR in Filipino.

Garma was suspended for six months along with International Master Darwin Laylo, Oliver Barbosa, Merben Roque and Enerose Magno while IM Ronald Dableo received a one-year ban.

Garma ruled last year’s Tanauan Open, where he beat the likes of GMs Mark Paragua, Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio but whose result was questioned by the NCFP fact-finding body.

"I realized now that when you beat the likes of Torre, Antonio and Paragua, they’ll charge you with game-fixing," said Garma.

Garma maintained his innocence, saying he won the Tanauan Open fair and square.

To prove his point, Garma finished a strong second behind fellow Olympiad veteran Emmanuel Senador in the Sinulog Cup in Cebu last January.

"If that’s not enough to prove that I can do it, I don’t know what is," said Garma.

Dableo, Laylo and Barbosa have indicated they would also ask the NCFP, headed by Surigao Congressman Prospero "Butch" Pichay, Jr. for reconsideration.