Billiards shake-up: Fair poll or dirty coup?

CALL IT a coup or whatever, but it cannot be said that the power shake-up in RP billiards has come unannounced.

In fact, news of the impending take-over flew thick in text messages during that hectic run-up to Tuesday’s election of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.

A new BSCP group, headed by Bong Ilagan and Putch Puyat and recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee, is obviously having the last laugh.

But Ernie Fajardo, who still considers himself the BSCP president, was trying to have the final say Wednesday.

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The meeting and election conducted on Tuesday was irregular and illegal, Fajardo claimed.

“The Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) does not recognize the meeting and election of directors conducted by persons who are not members of the Association,” Fajardo said in a message transmitted by super trader Sebastian Chua, local distributor of Brunswick tables.

Fajardo said they will proceed with their scheduled elections on April 29, 2009, “wherein members of good standing of the Association will be able to exercise their rights as such and elect their Board of Directors for the year.”

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Fajardo maintained that the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has not acted in line with the Olympic Charter with respect to their membership meeting and board election.

“We originally scheduled our election on December 5 last year, but the POC requested us to defer the voting on the pretext that some technical requirements still had to be met. As we were scheduling a new date for the meeting, however, the POC board surreptitiously gave its approval to the rump election that was suddenly called by non-members.”

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Fajardo said the POC violated the Olympic Charter, which grants reciprocal rights to national Olympic committees and national sports associations.

“Insofar as Philippine laws are concerned, we in the BSCP have followed faithfully all rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Corporation Code,” Fajardo explained. “We are confident of being vindicated in any litigation that will ensue from this action by non-members of the association.”

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Actually, Fajardo & Co. tried to secure a temporary restraining order to stop Tuesday’s election by the Ilagan faction.

The court did not grant the TRO.

Anyway, we’ve asked around for an objective score on the RP billiards power play.

“Fajardo’s problem is that theirs is not an inter-corporation case, so they can’t stop the POC,” explained lawyer Sam Estimo, an expert on Olympic legal matters.

Fajardo’s group made the wrong move, Estimo explained, but “they can go to a commercial court now and ask for the annulment of the balloting.”

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There’s a plan to elevate the case to the IOC.

“To be sure, they have to file before the court a Petition Ad Cautelam within 10 days from the date of the polls,” Estimo said. “IOC orders can’t be enforced by local sheriffs.”

“Meantime, Ilagan and Puyat can already start acting as de facto leaders,” Estimo said.

It’s a pity, added Estimo, BSCP chair Yen Makabenta “is such a good man.”

Of course, the case is far from closed.

A new, and maybe more savage, chapter in the raging RP billiards power play has just started.

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JWT ART REUNION SHOW: Carlos D. Filart, Red Mansueto, Alan Rivera, Sonny Yniguez, Joey Ibay, Lydiua Velasco, Gil Corcuera and Butch Payawal at the Gallerie Anna, 7th flr., Ramon Magsaysay Center, Roxas Boulevard from April 2-30. Cocktails Thursday start at 6 p.m.

By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer