Officers of various national sports associations, other non-government organizations and athletes could face criminal charges unless they are able to liquidate government cash advances and financial assistance that have accumulated to over P400 million as of 2008.

This was gathered after the Commission on Audit (CoA) called the attention of the Philippine Sports Commission to compel NSAs, NGOs and athletes who received financial assistance from the government to present evidence that would justify the expenses they incurred.

In its 2008 audit report of the PSC, CoA revealed that financial assistance extended NSA’s and athletes have reached P74.4 million and P26.16 million, respectively, from 1990 to 2008.

State auditors also complained that there has been no full accounting of accumulated financial assistance totaling P159.7 million that have been extended to NGO.

“Further examination of records disclosed that PSC also granted financial assistance to groups and individuals even if the request were not related to the promotion of sports or outside the mandate of the PSC under Republic Act 6847,” audit examiners headed by Supervising Auditor Mario Lipana noted.

The various amounts being questioned by the CoA is outside the P50.5 sports fund that has allegedly found its way to the bank account of Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella.

In a privilege speech last Wednesday, Puentevella told his Lower House colleagues that the liquidation report for the money spent for the holding of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in 2005 disappeared after being submitted to the PSC.

He then hinted that PSC Chairman Harry Angping could be behind the disappearance of the documents.