Ramirez: They should’ve been allowed to run

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The Philippine Sports Commission will not dip its hands into the controversial Philippine Olympic Committee elections, although Chair Butch Ramirez said disqualified boxing chief Ricky Vargas should have been “allowed to run.”

Ramirez said Thursday the sports financing agency would focus its efforts on the welfare of the national athletes.

“Whatever happens there, we will do our best to take care of them (athletes),” said Ramirez. “After all, my assumption of office as PSC Chair is to prioritize the athletes.”

“I don’t question the wisdom of the POC on the disqualification of Vargas,” said Ramirez.

“But for me, in the spirit of sportsmanship, those people should have been allowed to run. It could had been good for Philippine sports to allow these people to run in a free and fair elections.”

The POC’s commission on elections, chaired by Frank Elizalde, barred Vargas and cycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who set his sights on the chairmanship, from running in the polls.

According to Elizalde, Article 7, Section 11 of the POC constitution and bylaws requires candidates for president and chairman to attend 50 percent of the general assembly meetings in a year.

The POC holds the GA six times a year. Based on the rule, Vargas and Tolentino should have attended at least three meetings.

The POC elections is set Nov. 25 with incumbent POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. eyeing a fourth straight term.