Cue artists air grievances, cite need to review law

Billiards players and managers yesterday expressed their protest over alleged unfair treatment and irregularities by the billiards body and urged legislators to review existing laws on games and sports to protect the welfare of the national players.

During a Senate hearing, the founders and officials of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) and the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) presented the problems now besetting the sport and proposed the creation of a government agency that will regulate professional billiards.

The BMPAP, a professional organization, and the BSCP, a national amateur organization, have been at loggerheads on a number of issues ranging from money tournaments and selection of players for international tournaments.

The BMPAP, BSCP and the Games and Amusements Board presented their side on various national issues during a hearing on Resolution No. 386, which called for a review and amendment of “the pertinent provisions of Presidential Decree No. 871 and other related laws dealing with games and sports.”

In the hearing:

• BMPAP founder Aristeo Puyat cited instances when players were not paid the prizes they won in tournaments.

• Roberto Gomez, also a player belonging to the BMPAP, disclosed how he was eased out in a qualifying round for a tournament because the organizers took the prerogative of deciding for themselves who should participate. Gomez said rules were being modified arbitrarily and allowances were quite difficult to collect.

• Efren “Bata” Reyes, BMPAP vice president, said it was important for athletes to have a government agency looking after their welfare, especially when competing abroad.

• Django Bustamante of Puyat Sports said they were being required to present a license and letter from GAB when applying for visas when competing abroad.

• Ronnie Alcano, a world pool champion like Reyes and Bustamante, said he does not want to be part of an organization that imposes itself on the players and would ask them to leave if they do not follow its rules.

The BSCP, in turn, also accused the GAB for interference in the conduct of tournament by requiring organizers and participants to secure permits and licenses.

The BSCP questioned the GAB’s “undue interference into the powers, functions and duties” of the BSCP, a duly-recognized national sports association.

BSCP chairman Yen Makabenta said the laws, particularly PD 871, must be clear on the demarcation line that GAB must observe in the selection and the licensing of players.

“Interference in the selection of players for international competitions, we believe, is not in the law, whether SEA (Southeast Asian) Games, this is solely the prerogative of the national sports associations,” Makabenta said.

He also said it should be up to the players to declare themselves amateur or professional and whether they should get a license or not.

On the other hand, GAB chairman Eric Buhain said “we are not interfering in the selection, what we’re saying here is out of over 200 professional billiard players, how come only 10 (whom) they select are the ones who can qualify and compete representing the Philippines?”

Buhain said that while the law might not be clear on the  GAB powers on selection of players, it is clear that the BSCP must submit necessary requirements to GAB in line with its tournaments.

In the resolution authored by Senate Games, Amusement and Sport chairman Lito Lapid, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manuel Roxas II and Benigno Aquino III, Buhain was being made to answer charges on why GAB mandated all tournaments offering cash prizes to “secure an authority from the agency, and that all players joining the tournament are considered de facto professionals and must therefore secure a license.”

The BSCP complained that Buhain required the group, as promoters of the recently concluded Mandaluyong Mayor’s Cup to secure a P950-license before staging the event that was held from May 6 to 11.

The event coincided with the “Villar Cup” at Starmall in Muntinlupa City sponsored by Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. and was participated in by Reyes and other players belonging to the BMPAP.

Makabenta accused Villar of sabotaging the BSCP event recognized by the Asian Pocket Billiards Union and the World Pool-Billiards Association.

But Reyes denied the allegations. He said he and other BMPAP players would not join BSCP events as long as the national sports association was led by people whom he described as “incompetent” and whose only aim was to make money out of the players.

Lacson said they entered the picture because the players were being caught in between the warring factions and would suffer in the process.

“When there is politics in organizations, they are hit. We have to revisit PD 871 and see how we can harmonize and enhance the role of GAB as against national sports associations under Philippine Olympic Committee.

 “If you look at PD 871, GAB has the right to interfere, it has an encompassing role, not only in professional basketball but other professional associations as well,” Lacson said.

But Makabenta said billiards as a sport should not be regulated and singled out by GAB since other sports like chess, motocross, beach volleyball and others were not required to get licenses or permits to get permits for tournaments when prizes could go as high $30,000.

He said the amount being collected was high and arbitrary and driven by desire for revenues.