Ramirez initiates ‘rigodon’ at PSC

ATTY. GUILLERMO IROY and Merlita Ibay swapped positions as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) board reorganized the agency in an effort to prevent the payroll theft from happening again.

PSC Chairman brought Iroy back as Acting Executive Director, citing his legal expertise as paramount in the agency’s pursuit of charges against alleged payroll schemer Paul Michael Ignacio.

Ibay, on the other hand, got her former position back as Deputy Executive Director for Finance and Administrative Services, her forte.

“It was a collective decision of the board as part of a plan to re-stabilize the organization,” said Butch Ramirez, who convened the PSC board for the second time this week on Wednesday.

Ramirez reported back to work after a monthlong leave to attend to his wife, who underwent surgery, on Monday.

The PSC board also appointed Queenie Evangelista, who heads the Bureau of Coordinating Secretariat and Support Services, as Acting Deputy Executive Director.

Ramirez acknowledged the lapses in the agency and vowed to initiate actions.

“As the highest accountable official of the agency, I take responsibility to effect changes, to make sure that there are no gaps in the organization,” Ramirez said. “I feel sad, frustrated and hurt, but we all have to have composure.”

“I hope all stakeholders and partners ‘are at peace with these decisions and continue to support us through this,’” he added.

The PSC board will announce later in the week the other changes in the organization’s structure.