Cojuangco refuses to comment on Joseph’s case

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. refused to comment on the issuance of an arrest warrant against Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA) President Mark Powell Joseph for violation of Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act). Joseph is also the current deputy secretary-general of the POC.

A criminal case was earlier filed against Joseph by teen swimmer Jerome Carpio. The complaint alleged that in February 2010, Joseph sent an email message to the Penampang Swimming Association of Sabah, organizer of a swimming competition held at the Kota Kinnabalu Sports Complex where Carpio, who was then 17, was a participant. In his letter, Joseph said that Carpio and the other participants were rule breakers who tried to circumvent the PASA and Federacion Internationale de Natation rules and that their identification and ages could not be warranted as truthful.

A bail of P80,000 was recommended for Joseph.

“It is terrible but I cannot comment on that because I really have no any idea about it [Joseph’s arrest warrant],” Cojuangco told The Manila Times. “If that’s true, he must resolve it.”

Joey Romasanta, spokesman of the POC, who also refused to comment on the case, said that the issue is internal in nature and therefore must be resolved by the PASA itself.

“The POC has nothing to do with the issue,” he said. “That’s personal and an internal matter of that NSA [National Sport Association].”

Joseph who is still in London is unavailable for comment at press time.