Vargas disqualified from POC elections

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)’s election body yesterday cleared the way for reelectionist president Peping Cojuangco to run unopposed as it disqualified his rival, boxing chief Ricky Vargas, who questioned the decision.

Former International Olympic Committee representative Frank Elizalde, who heads the three-man election committee, said Vargas didn’t meet the primary requirement of “active participation” for the past two years.

Vargas’ ticket-mate, Rep. Bambol Tolentino, was similarly declared ineligible to run for the post of chairman, leaving incumbent Tom Carrasco by his lonesome in the race.

Elizalde cited Article 7, Section 11 of the POC bylaws, which states that candidates for president and chairman should be “an active member of POC general assemblies for two consecutive years.”

“Per our records of attendance, I regret to advise that they did not comply (with) this attendance requirement, they didn’t participate in general assemblies to any great extent,” Elizalde explained.

Elizalde said to his knowledge, Vargas attended the GA only once while Tolentino showed up around thrice over the past two years.

Vargas’ group has until Nov. 2 to file a protest with the POC election committee with the option of elevating it to the executive board and eventually to the POC membership.

“Mr. Vargas will definitely question his disqualification; he believes he has all the qualifications to run for POC president and none of the disqualifications,” Vargas’ spokesman Chito Salud said.

“It is unfortunate. The disqualification clearly disregards the principles of fair play and prejudices not just for the rights of ABAP but the interest and welfare of Philippine sports as well,” he added.

At this point, Salud said Vargas’ lawyers are “preparing for remedies 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.”

During the assembly, ABAP secretary general Pato Gregorio stood up and protested the disqualification, maintaining the required active participation relates to the national sports association as a member of the POC body.

“The main question that needs to be answered is can they define active participation? Our association actively participated in all the tournaments, international and local, our programs are in place and our budget is in place,” Gregorio said.

But Elizalde insisted that it is the individual’s participation, not the association’s, that is the main issue.