POC panel tackles Go’s eligibility

THE ELIGIBILITY of athletics chief Go Teng Kok to contest the presidency of the Philippine Olympic Committee in the coming POC elections will be tackled today by the election committee headed by former congressman Victorico Chaves.

Go, who is challenging Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., the incumbent POC president, in the elections on Nov. 30 at Alabang Country Club, obtained a recent Supreme Court order backing the legitimacy of his candidacy. The ruling was penned by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

“The POC can’t ignore the highest court of the land,” said the controversial Go, who was earlier declared “persona non grata” by the POC general assembly after he sued top officials of the Olympic body over a leadership row in the karate-do federation.

“There is no basis anymore to disqualify my bid to run for president against Mr. Cojuangco,” Go added.

The eligibility of cycling chief and Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Generoso Dungo of volleyball and chess president Prospero Pichay will also be put under the microscope by the election committee, which has Bro. Bernard Oca of La Salle and Ricky Palou of Ateneo as members.

Tolentino is running as second VP, Pichay as auditor, and Dungo as executive board member.

Tolentino is also the secretary general of the national chess federation which Pichay heads. POC rules allow only one official from an NSA to stand in the elections.

POC first vice president Manny Lopez earlier said Dungo is qualified to run since he had served the Philippine Volleyball Federation as vice president for over three years before becoming president of the PVF almost two years ago.

According to Section 12, Article VII of the POC constitution and by-laws, an executive board member must either be the president, secretary general or vice president of an NSA for at least two years.

In Cojuangco’s ticket are Tom Carrasco of triathlon (chair), Joey Romasanta of karate-do (first VP), Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis (second VP), Julian Camacho of wushu (treasurer), Pichay (auditor) and executive board members Dave Carter (judo), Cynthia Carrion (gymnastics), Jonne Go (canoe-kayak) and Ernesto Echauz (sailing).

The opposition ticket has not fielded anybody against Cojuangco but has Monico Puentevella of weightlifting as reelectionist candidate for POC chair, Lopez (reelectionist first VP), Tolentino, Romy Ribano of squash (treasurer), Godofredo Galindez of golf (auditor) and executive board members Victor Africa of fencing, baseball’s Hector Navasero, Echauz and Dungo.