Chaves expects fireworks in polls

MANILA, Philippines - POC election committee chairman Victorico (Concoy) Chaves said the other day he expects fireworks in the Nov. 30 polls at the Alabang Country Club but assured the voting will be smooth sailing despite a threat of a temporary restraining order (TRO) that could disrupt the proceedings.           

Last Thursday, the committee met to finalize the list of eligible candidates and declared presidential hopeful Go Teng Kok out of contention due to his expulsion from the POC General Assembly as a persona-non-grata. Chaves said the committee’s decision is final and not subject to overrule by the General Assembly based on its mandate. The committee members are Ateneo sports director Ricky Palou and La Salle Vice Chancellor Br. Bernard Oca.

A TRO has already been issued to restrain Table Tennis Association of the Philippines president Ting Ledesma to cast his vote representing the NSA as his legitimacy is under question by Sen. Antonio Trillanes. Go is expected to file for a TRO to prevent the POC from holding the elections because of his disqualification. But no matter how many TROs are issued, Chaves said the POC will not be swayed even at the risk of being summoned to court for contempt.

The committee previously said if the POC received the Supreme Court decision from a duly-designated sheriff upholding a Regional Trial Court ruling that Go was expelled without due process, it will allow the deposed PATAFA president to run against reelectionist candidate Jose Cojuangco Jr. But when the POC received the document last Nov. 12, the committee retracted, citing government intervention as a hindrance to give Go the green light.

A source said a committee member suggested for Go to run, if just to allay trouble, but changed his mind when told that allowing the candidacy because of the Supreme Court decision will mean government intervention in the POC polls. The IOC has warned that if there is government intervention in the elections, the POC may be suspended and prevented from participating in the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and Olympics. A precedent was Kuwait’s suspension for two years by the IOC for government intervention in the National Olympic Committee elections.

“If we allow Mr. Go to run, it will mean submitting to the courts where he went for redress and that is government intervention,” explained Chaves. “I would like to think that national interest is superior because allowing Mr. Go to run could mean suspending our country from participating in IOC-sanctioned events like the Olympics. We will push through with the elections regardless of whether or not there is a TRO and we’ll face the consequences. We will also recognize Mr. Ledesma as the NSA president for table tennis with the right to vote.”

Chaves said the committee will formally submit a proposal to the POC Executive Board introducing additional requirements for eligibility of candidates in future elections. “We will propose to require active participation of the NSA being represented, meaning at least 80 percent attendance in General Assembly meetings, a national team actively participating in international competitions and an active local league,” he said. “We will also propose to limit candidates to one per NSA for all elective positions.”

Chaves said on Nov. 30, registration of the 43 voters will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to include lunch at the Alabang Country Club. Then, the secret voting and counting will be held in a private function room with only the 43 voters present from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. There will be an enclosed booth where the actual voting will be carried out. Candidates may designate watchers from the 43 voters to closely observe the tallying of ballots. The election committee will announce the winners in a press conference at 2:30 p.m.   

The voters are IOC representative Frank Elizalde, 40 representatives of regular POC member NSAs and athletes Harry Tanamor and Marestella Torres. Representatives may be the president or secretary-general of an NSA or a vice president authorized by the president in writing and attested by the secretary-general. The 40 regular POC member NSAs represent archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, billiards, bowling, boxing, canoe-kayak, chess, cycling, equestrian, fencing, shooting, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, judo, karatedo, lawn bowls, muay, pencak silat, rowing, rugby, sailing, sepak takraw, tennis, skating, soft tennis, softball, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

Candidates for four Board Member seats are Victor Africa of fencing, Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics, Dave Carter of judo, Generoso Dungo of volleyball, Ernesto Echauz of sailing, Jonne Go of canoe-kayak and Hector Navasero of baseball. Candidates for auditor are Godofredo Galindez of golf and Prospero Pichay of chess. Candidates for treasurer are Julian Camacho of wushu and Romy Ribano of squash. Candidates for second vice president are Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis and Mayor Abraham Tolentino of chess. Candidates for first vice president are Manny Lopez of boxing and Joey Romasanta of karatedo. Candidates for chairman are Tom Carrasco of triathlon and Monico Puentevella of weightlifting. Running unopposed for a third term as president is Cojuangco.

Go said once he is informed of his disqualification, he will immediately seek redress from the courts. “Deny me of my right to run and I have nowhere else to turn to make Peping understand that he’s not above the law,” he said. “I will again seek the help of the court, not to hurt the POC and Philippine sports but to help Peping learn one important thing – being the POC president does not give him absolute power.”