PSC sanctions all erring nat’l athletes, coaches

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia yesterday said they have not singled out athletics when they suspended the allowances of national track and field team coaches Joseph Sy and Roselyn Monroyo.

In fact, Garcia said they’ve also sanctioned coaches in volleyball, swimming, dragon boat and wrestling and warned athletes from sailing and canoe kayak due to allegations of falsifying their attendance sheet.

“We’re just doing our job in making sure that coaches do their job properly,” Garcia told The STAR. “Public funds are being used to pay their allowance so we’re making sure that every cent that we shell out is well spent.”

Garcia’s reaction came after the Phl Amateur Track and Field Association threatened to take legal action against the PSC for sacking Sy and Hamero and dropping them from the PSC payroll.

The PSC has suspended the two Patafa coaches for various reasons, including alleged falsification of documents and prolonged absences from the PSC training camp in Baguio.

In an eight-page memo from the PSC board, Sy, who coaches St. Benilde’s track and field squad on the side, was accused of failing to supervise the training of elite athletes in Baguio and allegedly stayed most of the time in Manila, leaving the national team members to train on their own. 

Hamero, for her part, was accused of forging the signature of Patafa secretary-general Benjamin Silva-Netto, falsifying hurdler Josie Malacad’s qualifying time for her to make the roster to the 2011 Indonesia SEAG.

Both Sy and Hamero denied the charges.