Orcollo, Amit, Ranola, others out of Phl team

MANILA, Philippines - In a move that could trigger another rift within an NSA (national sports association), billiards chief Arturo Ilagan Jr. has batted for the revamp of the national team in favor of a younger crop of players for various international competitions, including this year’s SEA Games in Myanmar.

In a letter to the Philippine Sports Commission last Dec. 26, Ilagan signified his intention of scrapping the national squad headed by Dennis Orcollo, Yves Ranola and Rubilen Amit and replacing them with younger but untested ones.

“This is to inform you that the members of the 2012 national training pool will be replaced effective January after the submission of the new lineup for the 2013 national training pool together with the 2013 budget,” said Ilagan in the document received by the office of PSC commissioner Buddy Andrada.

PSC chairman Richie Garcia, however, said that it was a “wrong move,” adding the board would act on it in a meeting on Jan. 8.

“I heard about it but I have not seen any official statement,” Garcia yesterday told The STAR. “Personally, I think it is a wrong move but it is a decision of the president of the NSA and NSAs are independent.

“The POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) should take action regarding this, for billiards is a priority sport,” he added.

The move could jeopardize the country’s gold medal chances in the Myanmar SEAG where Orcollo is the defending champion in 8-ball and Ranola the titleholder in 8-ball and 9-ball.

“If they think they’re doing the right thing, we can do nothing about it,” said Orcollo, the former world No. 1, in Filipino.

Amit, meanwhile, is a perennial winner in the SEAG but failed to strike gold in Indonesia two years ago.

Meanwhile, Orcollo, Ranola and company have reportedly signed up with the PSC as the sports agency “priority athletes” where they, along with the other SEAG gold medalists, will receive a monthly stipend worth P40,000 with a condition that they train fully with the national squad.

“They signed up with the PSC but Ilagan didn’t endorse them,” said a PSC source.

Curiously, Ilagan, whose group is the body recognized by the POC, and long-time billiards patron Aristeo “Putch” Puyat are claiming to be the rightful leaders of the billiards and snookers association.

Interestingly, Orcollo is under the stable of Perry Mariano, an ally of Puyat, whose group includes the likes of world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante.