BANGKOK -- The on-going tensions between Thailand and Cambodia were not addressed at the Southeast Asian Games Council meeting on Monday in Bangkok.
This, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, who was present at the meeting.
Thailand launched air strikes on its neighbor Cambodia on Monday, the Thai army said, with both sides trading blame for the latest eruption of fighting on their disputed border which killed a Thai soldier.
The development comes a day before the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok.
READ: Thailand launches air strikes against Cambodian military -- army
According to Tolentino, the meeting of the SEA Games council focused on issues involving sports, not geopolitics.
"Hindi na pinag-usapan. Hindi na topic yun dun. Ang topic lang sports. One family, one sports," he told POC Media at the Grand Fourwings Hotel in Bangkok.
Tolentino said they were still discussing several sports-related issues, ahead of the opening ceremony on Tuesday at the Rajamangala National Stadium.
THAI KING ATTENDING OPENING
The king of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn or Rama X, will be in attendance at the welcome festivities of the regional showcase.
To ensure the king's security, a lockdown will be imposed on the venue, resulting in a smaller delegation for Team Philippines in the athletes' parade.
Supposedly, 200 athletes will be part of the parade for the opening ceremony. But due to the early lockdown, this number may go down to 140.
READ: POC chief won't join parade; PH athletics team to miss opening ceremony
"So yung ibang aattend ng parade, darating pa ng 12. So pag dumating ka ng 12 or whatever time, ilang oras pa bago ka makalabas ng airport. So aabutin ka ng lockdown," Tolentino said.
"Yung Athletics nandun, 61 yung paparada. So kasama sa 200 yun. So paano natin... Malabo na yun. Lalo na may darating pa ng hapon, malabo narin yun," he added.
Despite wanting to keep the spotlight on the athletes, the POC chief said they are left with no choice but to fill the void with sports officials.
"Dapat yung 200, atleta lang. Purely atleta lang. So yung ipupuno namin doon, officials na. Baka sabihin niyo, bakit pumarada nanaman yung officials? No pinuno lang namin," he said.
"Para sa akin, hindi na kasi pang atleta na lang yan. Time nila yan para sa kanila yan," Tolentino added.
The country's flagbearers tennis ace Alex Eala and Alas Pilipinas men's team captain Bryan Bagunas arrived on Monday night, in time for the opening ceremony.