Cojuangco POC ticket shaping up

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. is putting up a ticket of reelectionists, new aspirants and former candidates in seeking a third term in the POC elections set next month.

Karatedo chief Joey Romansanta, the POC spokesperson during Cojuangco’s first two terms, will run as first vice president while the second vice president slot is a toss-up between cycling head Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis.

Tolentino, the mayor of Tagaytay City and PhilCycling president, ran for first VP under the ticket of shooting’s Art Macapagal in 2008 but lost. Cojuangco, seeking another term until the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, beat Macapagal, 21-19, in the polls four years ago.

A reliable source said swimming’s Mark Joseph, Cojuangco’s deputy secretary general, is willing to give way to Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics, who is running as secretary general after Steve Hontiveros decided to finally give up the position.

Julian Camacho of wushu is out to retain his post as treasurer while triathlon’s Tom Carrasco will run as auditor.

“We’re talking. We have to come up with a working lineup,” said Cojuangco. “We’re now on the verge of really renovating the entire process of developing athletes.”

The POC elections is scheduled on Nov. 30 at Alabang Country Club with 40 national sports associations, two athlete representatives (long-jumper Marestella Torres and boxer Harry Tañamor) and International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde making up the voters’ list.

So far, only two aspirants have filed their candidacy—POC chair Monico Puentevella, who is bidding to keep his post, and Camacho.

No one has come out to challenge Cojuangco although several NSAs are asking sportsman and business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan to run after turning down an earlier invitation to join the ticket of the present POC head.

Pangilinan heads the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and chairs the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Badminton Association.