AS expected, Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (Abap) president Ricky Vargas’s bid for presidency for the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) got knock downed by the election committee.
The committee, headed by IOC Honorary member Frank Elizalde, ruled out Vargas’ candidacy for the Nov. 25 election, based on Article 7, Section 11 of the POC constitution that the president and chairman should be active members of the General Assembly for two consecutive years at the time of their election.
Aside from Vargas, Tagaytay representative Abraham Tolentino of cycling, who is running for chairman under the ticket of the Maynilad CEO, was also disqualified over the same rule, as announced during the POC general assembly held yesterday at Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club.
That leaves incumbent head Peping Cojuangco as the only one in the running for the post. Cojuangco has been the organization’s head for 12 years—three four-year terms—and was at the sports organization’s helm in three Olympic cycles. Under him, the country produced one single silver medal during the Rio Olympics held this year.
Tolentino is running for chairman against Tom Carrasco of triathlon.
According to reports, POC election committee chairman Frank Elizalde said that based on documents, Vargas had attended only one general assembly in two years. For the rest, he sent his executive director Ed Picson.
"As per records of attendance, I regret to advise that they did not comply with the attendance in general assembly," Elizalde said as quoted by spin.ph.
Vargas’s camp however insisted that an active member refers to the national sports association, with Abap, through executive director Picson, regularly attending the general assembly.
But the election committee interpreted the provision as referring to the individual and based on documents and practice of the POC.
Challenge
Vargas’s camp through its spokesperson Atty. Chito Salud, will question the disqualification as they maintained that the boxing chief has all the qualifications to run for the presidency at the POC.
“Mr. Vargas will definitely question his disqualification. He believes that he has all the qualifications to run for POC president and none of the disqualifications. It is unfortunate. The disqualification clearly disregards the principles of fair play and prejudices not just the rights of ABAP and Mr. Vargas, but the interest and welfare of Philippine sports as well. The lawyers are preparing the remedies available to Mr. Vargas and will determine whether it is pointless or futile to ask the election committee and the POC executive board for a reconsideration of the disqualification order,” said Salud’s statement released to the media right after the disqualification was announced.
The development created a stir within the Philippine Sports Commission, which had earlier sworn to cut off its financial assistance to POC, and instead give the funding directly to the athletes and pour its support to grassroots development.
“They won’t get any funding from PSC. We will go full grassroots until the NSAs get their acts together,” PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez said.
Aside from the disqualification, Vargas’ group suffered another blow as table tennis head Ting Ledesma backed out from his candidacy for auditor because his filing of candidacy was filed without his consent.