TOP PLAYER HAIL BSCP ELECTION

The country’s top cue artists hailed the election of a new set of officers in the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) and expressed hope that I would not just put an end to the long-dragging controversy hounding the sport but also propel Philippine billiards to new heights.

“We’re very with this development,” said pool icon Efren “Bata” Reyes, who is one of the BSCP directors who moved for a change of leadership in the association and installed former Project: Gintong Alay executive director Arturo “Bong” Ilagan and RP billiards godfather Aristeo “Putch” Puyat as the new president and chairman, respectively, of the BSCP.

“We players only want leaders who will protect our interest and ensure fairness, and with Mr. Puyat, Mr. Ilagan and the rest of the newly-elected officials of our association, we’re confident we can get those,” added the 54-year-old Asian hero.

Former world no.1 Dennis Orcollo and former world champion Alex Pagulayan also lauded the development.

“Mr. Puyat has long been supporting us, including those young players, even in his private capacity, so what more now that he is one of the leaders of our national association,” said Orcollo.

“With this new set of BSCP officers I’m pretty sure that there will be no more maltreatment, no more discrimination and no more abuse of power will happen,” said Pagulayan.

The Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines, in which almost all of the country’s top players are members, congratulated the newly-elected officials of the BSCP.

BMPAP president Atty. Vic Rodriguez vowed that his group would cooperate and work together with the BSCP, saying that they are looking forward to a “new era’ of Philippine billiards.

Meanwhile, Ilagan clarified that the election was not hastily called and that all members, approved by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to vote, had been duly notified more than a month earlier.

He also cited the April 5 deadline set by the World Pocket-Billiards Association (WPA) for all the players for all the Filipino players to affiliate themselves with the BSCP for them to be able to participate in all WPA-sanctioned events.

“It’s the players who went to the POC and asked for its help to have BSCP hold an election before that WPA deadline,” said Ilagan.

“The election being called by (deposed BSCP president Ernesto) Fajardo on April 29, which is too late to meet the deadline, and the players suspected that he and (former BSCP chairman) Yen Makabenta wanted them to submit under their rule, which the players have long declared they won’t.”