Singson assumes shooting ass’n presidency; Fernandez assails ‘brazen takeover’

Former Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson. INQUIRER PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ

Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson has taken over the Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) following an election that ousted president Richard Fernandez has described as “a brazen takeover.”

“I have no problem with having an election, we just have do it the right way,” said Fernandez, noting that the sport association’s meeting at Club Filipino on Friday had no board approval, no 15-day notice and no quorum certification, among other things.

The PNSA officials have been on holdover status since 2016 since the association has yet to submit its by-laws.

POC deputy secretary general Simeon Garcia of lawn bowls attended the meeting as an observer, but Fernandez noted how the official acted as an adviser and instructed the members “how to go about the election process.”

Fernandez thinks the move may be all part of the bid to target sports officials aligned with boxing chief Ricky Vargas, who’s set to challenge POC president Peping Cojuangco going into the general assembly on Feb. 19 and the POC elections on Feb. 23.

“It’s all part of the bigger picture,” said Fernandez.