BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO City – “My conscience is clear…Bisan diin dal-on, I will shed light on the issues.”
So said Dr. Myrna Castillo, superintendent of the Division of Iloilo as she denied having collected some P4 million from government offices and private donors and misspent the money for excess delegation personnel that went with the two Ilongga softball delegations in the recent Little League Softball World Series in the United States.
But Castillo admitted that a son of her was part of the delegation, in a press conference she called yesterday to answer the many issues raised about the trip.
It was reported that two of her children were part of the delegation – Nonie Mark Castillo and Marian Grace Castillo Suiza.
Yesterday, Castillo said only her son Nonie Mark went with her and the delegation to the US.
Nonie Mark served as “conditioning coach” of the players, she claimed.
Castillo insisted on the qualification of her son to be part of the delegation, noting that he also coached football teams.
High school and elementary school girls from Zarraga, Iloilo represented the Philippines in softball competitions in Oregon (Aug. 7 to 13) and Washington (Aug. 10 to 16), respectively.
The money solicited for the US trip was all spent for the players and coaches only, she also said.
The other members of the delegation spent “personal” resources for the trip, Castillo claimed.
With the help of Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., said Castillo, a total of P1,590,600 were raised from various donors.
This was actually not enough, said Castillo, as they spent P2,995, 653 for the round trip tickets of the players and coaches alone.
“Not a single delegation official who went was included in the budget,” said Castillo.
The Division of Iloilo superintendent also denied the delegation stayed in the US for three weeks even if the games lasted only for a week.
She said they were only there for “three more days” because the players deserved a break.
They visited a Universal Studios theme park, among others, said Castillo.
She also said it was not true that the Philippines represented by the players from Iloilo ranked 10th overall in this year’s World Series.
They actually placed fifth, Castillo said.
The Ilongga players were last year’s champions.
Also at the press conference yesterday was team manager Tony Oquindo Jr. He said the major league team defaulted one game, not two.
Oquindo said the team was late and failed to play its first game because they had difficulty processing the passports and visas of the players.
The major league team had a scheduled game on Aug. 6 but their passports were released on Aug. 5 only, followed by the visas, said Oquindo.
Castillo said she would welcome any investigation.
Early this week, Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 officer-in-charge John Arnold Siena vowed to look into the matter.
The role of Castillo as organizer became questionable when the Commission on Audit rejected as “unofficial” her solicitations for funds for the Little League Softball World Series, it being a non-government international sports activity not recognized by DepEd.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s Committee on Youth Affairs and Sports Development will also conduct an investigation with the Committee of Education.
Castillo yesterday identified their donors as follows:
- Sen. Franklin Drilon – P25,000
- Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce c/o Ramon Cua Locsin – P50,000
- Philippine Red Cross (c/o Ramon Cua-Locsin) – P50,000
- PLDT – P100,000
- Panay Energy Development Corp. – P500,000
- INJAP – $1,000 (P44,000)
- First Consolidated Bank – P10,000
- VDV Trucking and Delivery – P22,000
- Pryce Gas – P3,000
- William Sports – $18,000 (P786,600).
Castillo said the junior league team which played in Washington was composed of 12 players. Their total air fare reached P1,428,990.
The major league team (12 players also) which played in Oregon had air fare totaling P1,566,645, Castillo said.
Meanwhile, Oquindo said coach Rey Fuentes was not included in the delegation because he was banned by Little League Philippines.
Fuentes was punished because one of the delegates last year did not return to the Philippines with the team but stayed with her sister in the US, said Oquindo./PN
