By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino and four other officials from his party will be allowed to run in the POC elections on Friday.
The Election Committee tasked to handle the POC polls denied the petition filed by the group headed by archery chief Clint Aranas to disqualify Tolentino, triathlon’s Tom Carrasco, gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion, judo’s Dave Carter, and surfing’s Raul Canlas.
Aranas is running against Tolentino for president.
“All official protests filed are denied in their entirety for lack of merit,” said the election committee chaired by Teodoro Kalaw IV. The other members of the committee are Danilo Concepcion, University of the Philippines president, and Frank Elizalde, ex-International Olympic Committee representative.
Tolentino, PhilCycling chief, has been accused of conflict of interest relating to Southeast Asian Games matters, lack of time to be eligible to run, and a suspended corporate license.
Kalaw also announced that Hidilyn Diaz, a female representative of the Athletes Commission, and four other national sports association heads would cast their votes via sealed ballots.
