Pool champ rues joining WAP rally

MANILA, Philippines - Reigning world women’s 10-ball champion Rubilen Amit yesterday sat down with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping as she clarified her presence in the rally staged recently by members of the Wrestling Association of the Philippines last Oct. 19.

Amit, back-to-back gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, came to the office of the PSC chief, and said she had no idea that the gathering at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex last Oct. 19 would call for Angping’s resignation.

“I apologized to the chairman. It will never happen again,” said Amit, who even spoke during the rally, and rued the fact that her monthly allowance from the PSC had been cut off due to the leadership dispute within the billiards association.

“I was told to come that day but I didn’t know it was a rally. I also didn’t expect that they will ask me to speak. My friends started to call me after that and it was embarrassing,” said the 28-year-old billiards champion.

She met with Angping before lunch and was assured that she would get her allowances back.

“She told me she didn’t know it was a rally. She apologized,” said Angping, who now expects Amit to buckle down to work and make sure that she performs well in her bid to win the gold in the 8-ball and 9-ball singles in Laos.

“We expect them to deliver the gold. I have high hopes for her,” said Angping, who also added that his concern falls mainly on the athletes, and not on the NSA (national sports association) officials who are locked in leadership disputes.

The wrestling group led by WAP president Albert Balde and former SEA Games gold medalist Marcus Valda accused Angping of malversation of funds in relation to the country’s hosting of the Asian Junior Wrestling Championhips last July.

But Angping has answered the accusations and described them as “lies and fabrications” and added that it’s the WAP, which owed the PSC money amounting to close to P4 million.

“The agreement was simple,” said Angping when he agreed to help fund the event. “He said the PSC was supposed to spend only P2 million in assistance but ended up shelling out P6.3 million, to be paid for by the WAP using the collections on the entry fees.

Angping said the WAP charged each of the 250 participants $500 each, but allegedly failed to turn over the money to the PSC. – Abac Cordero