Enough is enough
As we went to press, it was still not certain if the POC COMELEC would disqualify ABAP chief Ricky Vargas as candidate for president and cycling head Rep. Bambol Tolentino as candidate for chairman in the court-ordered election at the West Side Grill of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong today. Registration of voters is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with the voting from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Last December, the Pasig Regional Trial Court found the disqualification of Vargas and Tolentino by the POC COMELEC from the November 2016 polls unjustified and ordered their inclusion in a re-election. Because of the disqualification, POC president Jose Cojuangco, Jr. ran for a fourth consecutive term unopposed while the chairmanship was declared vacant with no eligible candidate. Cojuangco’s lawyers went to the Court of Appeals to seek a TRO and injunction on the RTC order but were rejected.
Sensing a turning of the tide, Cojuangco ran to the IOC for relief and obtained a ruling that the POC General Assembly should decide whether or not a new election will be held and which candidates are qualified. Last Monday, the POC held an extraordinary General Assembly which designated the POC COMELEC to supervise the election. The POC COMELEC is composed of IOC honorary member Frank Elizalde, La Salle Zobel president Br. Bernie Oca and lawyer Al Agra of the Philippine Obstacle Course Federation. Elizalde and Br. Bernie were members of the POC COMELEC that disqualified Vargas and Tolentino in 2016. Agra replaced Rep. Conrad Estrella from the previous POC COMELEC.
POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros has released a list of eligible voters for this afternoon’s polls and it appears anomalous. The Philippine Badminton Association listed former Vice President Jejomar Binay as president when Rep Alby Benitez was recently elected president and Epok Quimpo appointed secretary-general. There are no officers qualified to vote from the Philippine National Shooting Association even as Gov. Chavit Singson was recently elected as president. Previous shooting president Richard Fernandez has protested Singson’s election and cited procedural irregularities. If Singson’s election is under protest, Fernandez should be recognized as the holdover president with the right to vote in the POC election. Mayor Edwin Olivarez is listed as Philippine Tennis Association president despite his resignation and lawyer Antonio Cablitas’ election as president last year. Roger Dullano is listed as Philippine Weightlifting Association president when he resigned in October 2016 and Monico Puentevella was voted president as recognized by the International Weightlifting Federation. Has the list of eligible voters been rigged?
Another POC anomaly is the inclusion of Ting Ledesma of table tennis as candidate for chairman. Under the RTC order, the re-election should involve only Vargas and Cojuangco as candidates for president and Tolentino as candidate for chairman, nobody else. Ledesma’s sudden emergence as candidate is not according to the court order and the POC is not above the law.
If the POC COMELEC disqualifies Vargas and Tolentino again, it will be cited for contempt of court. A petition was recently signed by 27 NSA presidents or secretaries-general calling for the inclusion of Vargas and Tolentino in today’s election. Since 40 NSAs were authorized by the POC to vote, 27 would be a majority. That means the majority of the General Assembly has come out to back the holding of democratic elections. Since the IOC has authorized the General Assembly to decide the electoral dispute, neither the POC nor the POC COMELEC can ignore the voice of the majority.
The issue of “active membership” as the qualifying rule in deciding the candidacies of Vargas and Tolentino is not debatable. The previous POC COMELEC took it upon itself to define “active membership” as physical presence in most of the General Assembly meetings over the last two years. There is no such definition in the POC By-Laws. In the spirit of the law, “active membership” should mean “active participation” and “active performance” of the pertinent NSA in
representing the country in international competitions.
What is preferred? Physical presence or an NSA actively performing its functions? Cojuangco’s physical presence in General Assembly meetings is beyond doubt but how active has his equestrian NSA been? In the last SEA Games, equestrian took the gold with Colin Syquia in individual showjumping but alas, his horse Adventure E tested positive for a banned sedative and the medal was forfeited. What an embarrassment for the country and the equestrian NSA! In contrast, the NSAs represented by Vargas and Tolentino continue to deliver impressive results year in, year out.
The clamor for reforms and a change of leadership in the POC is deafening. The athletes are fed up with long-staying POC officials who’ve made a living out of their positions. There should be no place for POC officials who treat the POC like a personal fiefdom and NSA presidents as members of their household. The high-handed conduct of the last two General Assembly meetings has prompted a chorus of boos from NSA officials and it’s no wonder there are 27 signatories to the petition. If Vargas and Tolentino are disqualified again, all hell will break loose.
Vargas said he’s only fighting for NSAs to get the chance to vote the leaders of their choice in a fair and democratic process. It’s a conscience call, he said. “The nation and more importantly, our young athletes will be intently watching us,” added Vargas. “We cannot afford to give them a bad example.” Vargas said the POC shouldn’t be ruled by bullies. “We are all equals,” he said. “And when it comes to the moment of decision, there are only two choices – change or status quo. It’s time to search deep into our conscience. Further, may I reiterate what I’ve been saying – this is not about me. This is about reform, freedom of choice and above all, the Filipino athlete. Mabuhay and atletang Pilipino.”