The camp of disqualified Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) presidential candidate Ricky Vargas is set to reach out to POC to determine whether it will honor a court decision mandating that an election for the positions of president and chairman be held next month.
Vargas, head of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap), has instructed his lawyers to prepare to face the POC in relation to a favorable ruling by a Pasig court declaring the installation of Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco as president during elections held in November 2016.
The POC had ruled that Vargas was ineligible to run owing to his inability to meet an attendance requirement.
Vargas said yesterday that Cojuangco can earn the admiration and respect of many national sports associations if he decides to obey the court ruling and face him in an election.
“He’ll be seen as (some sort of) a hero if he does that,” said Vargas, adding that Cojuangco’s fears that the country might get suspended by the International Olympic Committee doesn’t hold water.
“I have a full grasp of the IOC’s bylaws having been around people (in Aiba and the Fiba) who are with the IOC,” said Vargas.
Cojuangco has likewise told his lawyers to prepare a counter against the court ruling that Vargas feels “is somehow a victory” for those dying to see a massive change in the POC leadership.
“Cong. Peping said he devotes himself to his job as POC president but it is not the quantity but the quality (of service) that counts,” said Vargas.
Only a TRO filed in the Court of Appeals could prevent the election from being held, admits Vargas, who remains upbeat that Cojuangco has an epiphany.
Cojuangco assumed the POC presidency in 2004 and won a tightly-contested elections against then shooting boss Art Macapagal in 2008 before earning another four-year tenure in 2012 via acclamation.
Vargas, who enjoys the full backing of the centerpiece NSAs including taekwondo, football, archery and golf apart from boxing and basketball, believes other NSAs are yearning to see a change in the POC’s landscape.
If he gets elected, Vargas said he will be more than willing to step down as head of boxing and relinquish his posts in other corporate groups he’s involved in to prove that he is sincere in rehabilitating Philippine sports.
