Real ‘battle’ happens on POC General Assembly, not on Feb. 23 polls

The battleground for change in Philippine sports won’t be in the court-ordered Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) elections scheduled on Feb. 23. It will happen four days earlier, in a general assembly that is expected to determine the direction of the leadership crisis that has been dragging on for nearly two years now.

And sources said the group of incumbent POC Jose “Peping” Cojuangco is making moves to gain numbers going into the GA scheduled on Feb. 19, targeting presidents aligned with boxing chief Ricky Vargas and replacing them with potential allies.

Four separate sources told the Inquirer that the POC is pushing the shooting association to replace president Richard Fernandez with former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson to bolster support for Cojuangco.

Both officials could not be reached for comment but Vargas is unperturbed by the development, opting to focus on his mission to bring “good governance” to the POC.

“Having the elections is already a victory; winning is just gravy,” said Vargas Thursday.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chair emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan echoed the statement, urging the POC to heed the court order and push through with the elections “and let the chips fall where they may.”

But Pangilinan added that a Vargas victory would boost private support for sports.

“Clearly, if you have the proper management and governance of the POC, then you will get the support of the business community,” Pangilinan said. “And that’s what should happen in sports, the business community getting together and helping out sports.

“Even government will likely support a better POC,” he added.

A highly placed source backed Pangilinan’s statement, saying the PSC would be more open to funding national programs of the POC under Vargas.

“The PSC will be highly scrutinizing when it comes to supporting a POC under Cojuangco,” the source said.

But Vargas’ challenge of Cojuangco’s leadership largely falls on the decision of the GA on Monday and the boxing chief admits that the meeting could very well decide what happens on Feb. 23.

In a memorandum issued by the POC, the assembly will decide on what the definition of “active membership” will be, if Vargas can be deemed an active member and whether or not there will be elections four days later.

“If they stick with the same definition or disqualify me again, then that’s like they’re telling me ‘enough,’” said Vargas, who said he will discuss his next move with his supporters should the GA torpedo his bid for the presidency again.

Vargas, though, will have the law on his side after a regional trial court ordered a reboot of the 2016 elections and with the boxing chief allowed to run, along with cycling president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. Both were disqualified in 2016 when the POC Comelec, seen as largely pro-Cojuangco, defined “active membership” by the number of times an NSA head appeared in a general assembly.

Vargas is expected to bring the court order to the GA on Monday, along with a notarized petition signed by NSA heads urging the POC to hold elections.

Vargas is expecting more people to affix their signatures on the petition, along with two key figures known to be staunch Cojuangco allies.