By Glenda SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s (SP) Committee on Youth Affairs and Sports Development will conduct an investigation on the alleged sports fiasco involving the Department of Education’s Division of Iloilo.
The probe is in connection with the participation of two Ilongga softball teams in the Little League Softball World Series in the United States.
The SP, in yesterday’s regular session, approved the move of committee chairman Carmen Rita Monfort-Bautista for an investigation.
But Bautista said it will be a joint undertaking with the Committee of Education.
High school and elementary school girls from Zarraga, Iloilo represented the Philippines in softball competitions in Portland, Oregon (Aug. 7 to 13) and Kirkland, Washington (Aug. 10 to 16), respectively, but lost all of their games, placing 10th or last of the 10 entries.
The role of DepEd division superintendent Dr. Myrna 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.
Castillo is expected to explain her side in a press conference today. Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. has asked her to be transparent regarding the US trip.
It has been reported that the softball delegation officials were either employees of the division office or their sons and daughters — including Marian Grace Castillo Suiza and Nonie Mark Castillo, daughter and son of Castillo.
The six “coaches” listed were not really coaches as claimed. Ironically, the only real coach, Rey Fuentes of Bacolod City, had been disallowed from accompanying the athletes to the games.
On Sept. 8, DepEd officer-in-charge John Arnold Siena vowed to mobilize the regional office in investigating the matter.
He also instructed Castillo to submit a report about it./PN
