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The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former Federacion International des Eches (FIDE) president for failure to account for government funds amounting to PhP12.876 million (US$238,745.086 at PhP53.932=$1).

In a decision released last week, the anti-graft court's fifth division found former FIDE president Florencio B. Campomanes guilty of failure to render accounts consisting of Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) funds worth PhP12,876,608. The PSC entrusted these funds to the FIDE for the World Chess Olympiad in Manila, hosted by the Philippine government from June 6 to 25, 1992.

Mr. Campomanes, the only Filipino to hold the highest position in the world chess governing body based in Lausanne, Switzerland, was sentenced to one year and 10 months imprisonment.

In the same decision, the anti-graft court acquitted former PSC chairman Cecilio Hechanova for failure of the prosecution to prove conspiracy.

In 1991, FIDE, the world chess governing body based in Switzerland, granted the PSC the right to organize and hold the 30th World Chess Olympiad in Manila the following year. In compliance, PSC entrusted to FIDE a total of PhP12,876,608, an amount sourced from private donors through the country's Sports Development Fund.

After the chess olympiad, auditors from the Commission on Audit reported missing documents including acknowledgment receipts and liquidation papers. Due to the absence of the said documents, the auditors said they could not verify whether FIDE spent the money entrusted to them by the PSC for the purpose it was intended.

In his defense, Mr. Campomanes said it was the body's practice and policy not to issue official receipts. Such a procedure, he added, was adopted only in 1993, a year after the 30th World Chess Olympiad was held in Manila. FIDE supported his claim.

"It was not the practice of the FIDE with respect to chess olympiads hosted in other countries to account for the funds received from the sponsoring committee, in this case, the Philippines, it was the other way around. FIDE asked host countries to submit financial reports on the entire event," said Mr. Campomanes.

He cited the experience of FIDE in previous chess olympiads such as those held in Dubai in 1986, 1984 and in Yugoslavia in 1990. These events were staged during his term as president from 1982 to 1985.

Mr. Campomanes said Wily Iclicki, the FIDE treasurer at the time, should be held accountable for the money. However, Mr. Iclicki gave the same argument as Mr. Campomanes. He said the body is not accustomed to issuing receipts unless requested.

Mr. Campomanes also said he should not be held accountable as a public official since FIDE was a private organization and that the PhP12.8 million entrusted to it came from private donors sourced through the country's Sports Development Fund.

However, the court ruled that Article 222 of the Revised Penal Code applies to Mr. Campomanes. By Cesar Miguel G. EscaÑo