BOXING chief Ricky Vargas wants to be reinstated as a candidate for president in the next Philippine Olympic Committee elections.
His counsel and pokesman Chito Salud said this after legal questions on the coming elections of the POC on Nov. 25 were filed in court last Friday, seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the polls.
“Mr. Vargas is likewise asking the court to have him reinstated and included as an eligible candidate after hearing the case on the merits,” remarked Salud.
Lawyers representing Vargas formally filed a complaint on his behalf before the Regional Trial Court of Pasig.
The complaint is now under review in Branch 159 of Judge Rodolfo Bonifacio and contests the resolution of the election committee of the POC to disqualify Vargas in running for president.
Salud said they are waiting for a decision this week before the polls happen on Friday.
Three weeks ago, the election panel of the POC, headed by Frank Elizalde, denied Vargas’ motion for reconsideration, and disqualified another candidate, triathlon’s Tom Carrasco from his bid to seek another term as chairman.
The position of chairman remains uncontested until the Nov. 25 polls because Carrasco’s main rival for the post, Tagaytay congressman Abraham Tolentino of cycling, was also disqualified.
“Mr. Vargas was deprived of due process when the election committee disqualified him without any formal objection from a POC member, and without due notice,” said Salud.
In a resolution sent to all parties concerned, Elizalde explained that physical attendance was main requirement for an official of a national sports association to be made eligible to run for a post in the POC elections.
According to records, Vargas attended only one meeting of the body between Feb. 6 and May 25 this year.
The Vargas camp alleged that the committee acted beyond the scope of its authority when they acted on their own accord and excluded him.
He added that the committee has effectively amended the bylaws of the POC without authority by imposing an eligibility requirement that is not specified in the bylaws.
“We’re asking the court to rule on the proper interpretation of active membership by harmonizing it with the relevant provisions of the bylaws,” added Salud.