POC orders reset of Philta polls

The scheduled election of new officers of the Philippine Tennis Association set for tomorrow has been postponed on orders of the Philippine Olympic Committee, raising speculations that the re- ported ascension of businessman Jean Henri Lhuillier as Philta president may have hit another roadblock.

No new date has been set for the election, but lawyer Charlie Ho, assigned by the POC to help resolve the leadership crisis in the Philta, said he was not told of the reason why it was being reset although the ASEAN Summit could be the main reason.

Ho said he had a fruitful meeting with Lhuillier and his group Tuesday night and they have agreed on the parameters of what he believed would be a final resolution of the power struggle in the association.

Ho said that he had gotten assurance from the camp of interim Philta president Edwin Olivarez, also the mayor of Parañaque City, that Lhuillier would get their backing to end the impasse. Olivarez also said he planned to nominate Lhuillier for the post of president.

But late yesterday afternoon, Ho was informed that the election has been called off indefinitely and he expressed worry that another obstacle been thrown Lhuillier’s way.

Ho, who has spent weeks trying to find an acceptable solution to the power struggle, expressed frustration at the latest development.

"Ayoko ng maki-alam as I am wasting my time here," Ho said in a text message.

Sources said some people are resisting Lhuillier and planned to put up another candidate to run against the businessman who is backed by nearly all respected stakeholders of the sport.