‘Solo fight’ proves too much for Go

If there was anything erstwhile POC presidential aspirant Go Teng Kok wanted to announce last Wednesday night, it was that he was seeking a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) to stop today’s POC elections at Alabang Country Club.

That’s what most people in the sporting community anticipated after scribe Abac Cordero tweeted that Go was set to make an important announcement at the POC-PSC Media Center in Vito Cruz last Nov. 28.

That was Go’s original plan after he was declared ineligible to run by the three-man POC election committee composed of Victorico Chavez, Bro. Bernie Oca, FSC, of De La Salle University and Ricky Palou, athletic director of Ateneo, who earlier said that Go would be allowed to run if he submits proof of a Supreme Court decision upholding a lower court decision that there was no due process when Go was expelled by the POC general assembly.

Although he doubted Palou would live up to his word, Go submitted the required document.

Just as he had feared, the betrayal occurred. He was declared ineligible.

* * *

Disappointed, Go considered giving up. After all, he believed he was not getting any help from the opposition even if they had a common opponent in Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.

However, after consulting his supporters, he decided to continue the fight. By Tuesday, when he announced in Snow Badua’s sports program over PTV4 that he was filing a TRO to stop the elections, it appeared that there was no turning back for Go.

For one moment there, I admired the man. He was fighting a lonely battle and yet he had the courage to do it.

I was in for a big disappointment. His announcement that Wednesday night was not about a TRO; he never sought one. He told reporters he was backing out from the battle. I got the confirmation later that evening straight from Cordero.

According to Cordero, Go complained about the huge amount of money he had been throwing into his candidacy.

“Maybe his reason for backing out is financial,” said Cordero, president of the POC-PSC press corps.

Another scribe from the same beat said it was probably pressure that drove him to the breaking point. “Maybe his foe knew too much about his dirty secrets. He might have been blackmailed or threatened,” he said.

There are many possibilities, and we may never arrive at the truth.

I have my own theory, though.

* * *

Last Saturday afternoon, Go was lamenting his predicament. He said Cojuangco had been reaching out to him.

Cojuangco told him that his enemy was not Go but Manny Lopez, who is running for re-election as first vice president. Could they be allies again?

“Since I’m not getting any support from the Manny Lopez group and am in fact being ignored by them, I’m seriously considering the option,” Go said. “Maybe they think they don’t need me at all, they don’t need the votes of my group. Divided, Peping could prevail. Together we will surely topple Peping.”