PSC chairman Angping turns table on accusers

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping has turned the tables on his accusers saying that it was the Wrestling Association of the Philippines that owed his agency more than P4 million in funds used when the country hosted the Asian Junior Wrestling Championships (AJWC) this year. Angping, who defended himself against WAP’s allegations of misusing public funds, said he only approved P2 million in cash advances and it was the wrestling association officials who came to him and asked for financial support for hosting the said event.

More than 500 wrestlers from 15 countries joined the tournament held at the PhilSports Arena from July 9 to 12. “They came to for the financial assistance," said Angping during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum in Manila. “All of the charges are fabricated. They (WAP) have no basis. If they want they can go to our accounting department and check whatever it is that they need to check." The PSC wrote a letter to WAP officials, addressed to president Albert Balde, explaining all the allegations made by the said group. The letter contained the financial breakdown of the funds spent – including food, allowances and transportation – even the initial deposit that the agency made to the wrestling NSA for them to host the event. The list also include hotel accommodation, entry fee, video coverage, freight services for wrestling mats and other miscellaneous expenses amounting to more than P6.37 million. Angping said that it turned out that WAP owes the PSC more than P4 million since he only approved a P2 million cash advance. He said the PSC even tried to talk to the WAP officials who are accusing him of graft and even invited them to a meeting to settle the issue amicably. "We tried to sort things out with them, but they did not respond to our invitation. We want to settle the issue but they did not arrive in the meeting," said Angping. Earlier, WAP questioned the PSC regarding the total amount of the finances for the AJWC which was more than P6 million saying that no single peso was handed to them personally and were directly given to the travel agency – Image Travel Agency – allegedly owned by Angping. WAP already filed a graft case against Angping last week and also asked the Commission on Audit (COA) to inspect the PSC’s records. - GMANews.TV