MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao has been through a lot of difficult battles as a boxer and won. As a lawmaker, he's starting to find out just how different and complex the adversity he's facing.

A probe in the Upper House presided by Pacquiao and Senator Antonio Trillanes grilled officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee on funding practices and the process of selecting athletes for international tournaments.

Pacquiao questioned POC president Jose Cojuangco regarding the Commission on Audit's report that his office still has P16.8 million worth of unliquidated transfers from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

That's when Cojuangco, who won a fourth term as POC president in an uncontested election last week, hit back at Pacquiao.

"I came here and you started meeting on the ground that this is in aid of legislation and now you are making it an investigation of a case I was not prepared to answer you for. I prepared to answer you in aid of legislation yes," Cojuangco said.

Cojuangco's terse tone wasn't lost on Pacquiao, who countered by saying it's an issue that needed to be brought up.

"What we are asking you is part of legislation, we need to know," Pacquiao said. "Para maayos natin ang batas. Ngayon kung nasasaktan ka kung tinatanong ka personally, it's part of the aid of legislation of the Senate inquiry."

(We need to fix the law. Now if you're taking this personally, it's part of the aid of legislation of the Senate inquiry.)

Steve Hontiveros, the POC treasurer, said the funds in question were already liquidated.

"Ang ibig sabihin nila 'disallowed.' When they say disallowed, that is unliquidated for them. Pero as far as unliquidated is concerned, na-submit namin lahat. Kumpleto even to the extent sobra pa nga 'yung liquidate sa amin to the extent of the money given," he said.

Representatives of several national sports associations also attended the inquiry to air mostly grievances.

Nikki Coseteng, chairman of the Philippine Swimming League, accused Cojuangco's camp of harassing members of her group in favor of rival Philippine Swimming Inc.

"Mr. Cojuangco is the one who destroyed Philippine sports to tell you honestly," Coseteng said.

Ed Picson, executive director of the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP), said the POC blocked the funding needed to finance amateur boxers' training in the US.

"May na-approve po ng PSC na pondohan ang training . . . Kaya lang may marginal note, subject to approval by POC. Nagtaka po ako. Pumunta ako kay Chairman Richie [Garcia], sabi sa akin, 'Makiusap ka kay cong [Congjuangco] baka pumayag," Picson recalled.

Cojuangco questioned the merits of the proposed trip.

"I talked to the chairman of ABAP, Ricky Vargas, 'cause I was informed that they will go to the US for 18 days to train in Oakland, L.A. and Las Vegas all in 18 days. How do you train in three place in 18 days especially if you have to travel. What would you achieve there? Saan kakain mga bata?" Cojuangco said.

Pacquiao put a halt to the hearing after four hours and promised to present a proposal in their next meeting.

"Marami silang overlapping roles, kailangan natin ayusin. We will file a bill soon," Pacquiao said.

Cojuangco said he was satisfied with the POC's showing during the hearing.

"We were able to answer and clarify the issues. 'Yung sabi nila unliquidated, we presented the answers," he said.

Sen. Sonny Angara, who filed the resolution that launched the hearing, is pushing for the creation of a department that will oversee local amateur sports.

"We are considering a department of sports that would really have authority of the sports leaders, kasi yung PSC parang walang direct access to the president. Another thing is to re-examine the charter of the PSC and maybe improve the state of Philippine sports," he said.

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