Larong Hockey sa Pilipinas (LHP) former secretary-general Jing Arroyo couldn’t help but to express his dismay over the sudden disbandment of the national men’s and women’s indoor hockey teams during this ongoing pandemic without any due process by the leadership.
Arroyo, and team captains Marvin Lianza and Denizelle Razing guested on the weekly TOPS Usapang Sports on Air last Thursday to shed light on the matter.
Arroyo pointed out that when the players requested to have their privilege to vote in the elections of the NSA according to their constitution and by-laws, they ignored their pleas by the 5-man board led by former POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, who was elected themselves in every electoral proceeding of the hockey association.
Following this, he was removed from his position as secretary-general. Former Canoe Kayak president Jonne Go took over the post. The national teams, including the women’s squad that won the bronze medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games held in Los Banos, Laguna, were then disbanded without any formal communication and was replaced by a new set of players and coaches, “with zero or little knowledge” of playing the sport. The new players have started giving allowances from the PSC since February.
“And yung kinakasama ng loob namin, these team that has performed, naging bronze medal ang ating women’s team. In fact, awarded by President Rodrigo Duterte ng Order of Lapu-Lapu, suddenly parang basura without even the dignity of the formal letter that you’re are not part of the national team anymore. No reason. Nakita nila sa Facebook, tinanggal nila.”, he told.
He said that the LHP is the only NSA in the world, without any hockey players or members on the board. Arroyo feels that the sacrifices and hardships of the national team, giving honor to the country, were ruined by Cojuangco and his group’s politicking in the association’s affairs. He intends to send an appeal letter to the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Asian Hockey Federation regarding the matter.
