Former senator renews calls for Joseph to step down

FORMER Senator Nikki Coseteng recently renewed his calls for Mark Joseph to step down as president of the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA).
       Coseteng has taken the cudgels for the group that for the last couple of years has questioned the way Joseph has been running the affairs of PASA.
       They have hurled various accusations against Joseph, and had even gone to the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the alleged misuse of funds.
       Joseph has maintained silence against the allegations, and had said that he will only answer them, point by point, in the proper forum.
       “It’s not actually our job to remove Mark Joseph. But if he has the dignity then he should step down,” Coseteng told the recent PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue.
       “I’m not interested in his position. I’m only doing this for the sake of our young swimmers,” added Coseteng, president of the Diliman Preparatory School.
       "We are already last, if not second to the last, in the SEA Games age-group championships. And if this will continue, then what can you expect in the next four, six or eight years?"
       She has hooked up with the group of former national swimmer Susan Papa, who also appeared in the same session presented by Smart, Outlast Battery, PAGCOR, and Shakey’s, a group of parents and even some coaches in the battle against the PASA head.
       Coseteng accused Joseph of money laundering together with former Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation chief Efraim Genuino.
       Coseteng alleged that Genuino shelled out more than P34 million to PASA from December of 2007 up to January of 2009.
       The money, she added, eventually went to the Genuino-owned Trace College and Aquatic Center in Los Banos, Laguna.
       Coseteng also called on the Philippine Olympic Committee under Jose Cojuangco to act on the matter.
       “Will they just close their eyes on this? Well, I can’t. It’s very easy to address this issue but why isn’t anyone taking action?” said Papa.
       “Resignation is voluntary. We cannot forge a signature for somebody to resign,” added Coseteng.(PSA PR)