Malacañang vowed to look into the reasons as to why the promised cash incentives for Olympic silver medalist Onyok Velasco was not given to him.
Velasco won the country’s silver medal in boxing in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
The boxer recently admitted that the promised P2.5 million cash incentives were not given to him by Congress.
The boxer also told the media that a businessman even promised him a Php10,000 lifetime monthly allowance but stopped after a month.
“Napakahirap kasing mangako ng nakalipas na administrasyon. Pero unang-una po, ite-trace po natin kung kailan ‘yung effectivity na law na nagbibigay ng P10 million,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“Iche-check ko po. Ang aking masasasabi, iche-check po natin kung merong retroactive effect ‘yung P10 million na ibinibigay ng gobyerno, because I am not sure,” he added.
Roque was referring to Republic Act 10699 which gives P10 million to Olympic gold medalists, P5 million for silver medalists and P2 million for bronze.
“Ipagbibigay-alam ko po ito sa presidente, kung si Onyok Velasco na nanalo ng silver sa ibang administrasyon na hindi nakakuha po ng kanyang pabuya… Baka naman mabigyan siya ng pabuya,” Roque added.
“Pero kapabayaan po ‘yan ng gobyerno na hindi nagbigay sa kanya ng pabuya,” he added.
Velasco won during the time of former President Fidel V. Ramos.
The former Olympic silver medalist also revealed that he was given a house and lot but without a title.
He’s afraid that the house can be taken back from him.
“Ang inaano ko na lang sana, yung titulo lang mai-transfer na ba, kasi nakatira ako doon sa bahay, mamaya bigla akong palayasin doon. Joke joke namin lagi, pinangakuan ka na, gusto mo pa tuparin pa. Dapat matuwa ka na kasi pinangakuan ka na eh,” he said.
