POC board convenes; July 5 polls not final?

Expect another highly-charged atmosphere when the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executive board convenes Monday at GSIS main office in Pasay City.

And whether the POC elections come July 5 will push through will be decided by the executive committee of the local Olympic body headed by president Joey Romasanta.

The 13-man executive committee will hand down a decision on the validity of the call for a special election on that date, which was made by POC chair Abraham Tolentino.

They will also validate the plan by certain officers to resign from the executive board and discuss the change of leadership within the organization.

As of now, only former POC president Ricky Vargas is considered resigned after he formally tendered his resignation.

Romasanta, Tolentino and board members Clint Aranas of archery and Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics also offered to resign and give way to a new leadership.

An Inquirer source said a letter from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reached the doorstep of the POC, instructing them to hold the polls while recognizing Romasanta as POC head.

With five days to go, the probability of holding the polls is getting smaller, especially that former IOC representative Frank Elizalde has not yet committed to chair the election committee tasked to facilitate the conduct of the polls.

There is a stringent process to be followed with Elizalde to set the election guidelines with two other members of his committee.

The candidates must file their certificates of candidacy, which should be approved by the election committee.

Another Inquirer source confided that completing these tasks would require more time for the election committee than just five days.