PASA holds elections amid protest

MANILA, Philippines - Despite concerns expressed by a number of stakeholders on the conduct of its elections, the Philippine Aquatics Sports Association has given Mark Joseph a fresh mandate as president in the swimming association’s polls held Saturday night in Cebu City.

In a text sent to the media, Joseph said the other officers elected to the PASA board included Philippine Sports commissioner Akiko Thomson-Guevarra (treasurer), Ral Rosario (secretary-general), Luisito Mangahis (secretary-general) and Christian Inigo (executive director) in the event held at the Mactan Shangrila Hotel.

“PASA’s first election under its new constitution was held last night (Saturday) at Mactan Shangrila Hotel. Attendance of voting members of the association and the board of trustees was 100 percent,” said Joseph.

Joseph said Thomson, who is serving as one of the commissioners in the government sports agency, would start serving as PASA treasurer only after her term with the PSC has expired this July while the position of chairman was left vacant.

Bodybuilding official Corina Mojica served as the Philippie Olympic Committee (POC) observer.

Joseph, however, failed to mention how many attended or if all the NSA’s regions were represented in the election that the Aquatics Sports Association of the Philippines branded as sham.

The ASAP questioned the legitimacy of the PASA election since it was announced two days before the date and there were allegedly no legitimate regional presidents to elect the members of the board.

The ASAP said the swimming association’s change of name to Philippine Aquatic Sports Association is still the subject of court litigation. It has questioned the legitimacy of the presidency of Joseph, who, it said, never called for an election since the time he was named president in a temporary capacity in 2005.

 Joseph has also drawn complaints from the swimming community for his failure to account for association funds, amounting to over P50 million it had received from various sources, including from PAGCOR, the Philippine Sports Commission, membership fees, subsidies and sponsorships.

He is facing charges for harrassment of minors filed in various courts by four parents whose children were not allowed to compete in a Malaysian age group competition recently on threats allegedly coming from Joseph.

“I am grateful to the board for their trust and confidence,” said Joseph.

Joseph did not comment though if he’ll be open to a dialogue with other stakeholders including ASAP, which is headed by lawyer Ma. Luz Arzaga Mendoza.

PASA also didn’t respond to repeated calls to allow all the stakeholders to participate in the election, an issue that athletics chief Go Teng Kok recently sounded.

“I call on PASA to be fair to everybody and allow stakeholders from all the regions in the country to have their say,” said Go, who himself received a fresh four-year term in elections done in Pangasinan last year.

Meanwhile, Joseph said PASA’s main priority is to strengthen its base and development programs.

“It was agreed by the trustees and officers of PASA that the priority program will be the development of PASA active members, the leagues composed of clubs that participate or conduct swimming competitions for two consecutive years, in at least six months of the year and involving no less than 10 clubs,” said Joseph.

“Active members of PASA also include representatives from the drowning prevention, school swimming and aquatic disciplines. Once admitted to PASA, these members will have seats in the National Congress that will elect the next PASA board,” he added.

 Joseph also stressed volunteerism with young leaders being given a chance to lead in the swim body.

“Basically, PASA is stressing volunteerism and giving a new generation of emerging young leaders a chance to take leadership positions across the country,” he said.

“Under PASA constitution, our focus is on the grassroots, at the swimmer, coach and official and leadership levels. Its going to be more hard work and cooperation than we already have now.

The ASAP reiterated yesterday’s election was a feeble attempt to rectify past mistakes by Joseph.

“The truth of the matter is that PASA, now and for the past five years, has no effective Board of Directors and no Executive Committee. It is being run single-handedly by Mark Joseph. The “board” now is, at best, a “stamp pad” leaving the whole affairs of PASA to Mark Joseph alone. This belated effort at rectifying blatant defects in his legitimacy as president must not be overlooked or glossed over,” the ASAP said.

The ASAP added Joseph’s move to change the association’s name is clever maneuver to nullify any charges of malversation of funds against him and the association since the old PASA no longer exists.

The ASAP had filed a court case questioning the change of name and the case is still pending in court. The controversy stemmed from the use of ASAP (Aquatic Sports Association of the Philippines), which was registered with the SEC a week before Joseph decided to change the national body’s name to Philippine Aquatic Sports Association).