THE three-man election panel of the Philippine Olympic Committee meets today to discuss the appeal of boxing chief Ricky Vargas and a protest by filed the camp of cycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
POC secretary general Steve Hontiveros said the panel will deliberate on the merits of the issues surrounding the disqualification of Vargas in his bid to run for president, and questions raised by the Tolentino group on triathlon chief Tom Carrasco’s bid seek reelection as chairman.
“The panel will meet. But I will just be there as an observer,” said Hontiveros.
The panel is composed of Bro. Bernie Oca of La Salle and Cong. Conrado Estrella, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development.
Vargas, who is the president of the Amateur Boxing Alliance of the Philippines, believes that the process by which the Commission on Elections of the POC disqualified him to run for president in its coming election is flawed.
He has motion for reconsideration filed before the POC Comelec, headed by Frank Elizalde, the former International Olympic Committee representative to the country.
The decision, according to Vargas ‘must be reversed,’ after the election panel questioned his attendance over the last four years.
Vargas and Tolentino were both disqualified by the election committee for not being ‘active members’ of the POC general assembly, and have not been regularly attending meetings.
On the other hand, the Tolentino has put the candidacy of Carrasco for the chairmanship under protest.
PhilCycling secretary general Billy Sumagui wrote a letter to the POC election committee questioning Carrasco’s eligibility because is no longer the president of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines.
Since Aug. 31, Carrasco was replaced by Mon Marchan as president. Carrasco is now the secretary general of TRAP.