POC to seek TRO against court ruling on elections

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Executive Board yesterday unanimously agreed to allow its legal team to file a request for a TRO/preliminary injunction in relation to a Pasig court ruling ordering the POC to hold an election for the position of president and chairman on Feb. 23.

The filing will be done on Jan. 22, according to POC spokesperson Robert Mananquil, who told a handful of reporters that the case is being handed by Addison Castro.

Mananquil said the POC took seriously the dire consequence of being held in contempt by the court if it doesn’t act on the decision.

The board members present include POC president Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco, secretary general Steve Hontiveros, second vice-president Jeff Tamayo, treasurer Julian Camacho, auditor Jonne Go, International Olympic Committee representative Mikee Jaworski and first VP Joey Romasanta, who has been quite vocal lately against the leadership of Cojuangco.

Mananquil said even Romasanta, who had earlier expressed his desire that the POC should instead follow the court order instead of seeking other legal means, also agreed that the POC seek a TRO/preliminary injunction.

Also on the same page with everyone in attendance were Butch Pichay of chess, Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics and Mananquil of billiards and snooker.

Cojuangco earned his fourth fouryear term in 2016 when boxing chief Ricky Vargas was ruled ineligible to run against him owing to his inability to attend the bi-monthly General Assembly.

But the Pasig court ruled the election as null and void, directing the POC to stage an election next month.

If the POC gets a favorable response from the CA, the election will have to be put on old until such time the case is heard in court.

But if the CA doesn’t issue a positive ruling, an election will have to be conducted, the POC’s lawyers said.