by Nick Giongco
A three-man election panel that will supervise the bid to fill up the vacated posts in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) elections on July 28 has been put up by the Executive Board on Monday in line with a directive from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Board member Robert Mananquil of billiards and snooker attended the meeting alongside POC first vice-president Joey Romasanta, second vice-president Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis, auditor Jonne Go, Prospero Pichay, IOC representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski and treasurer Julian Camacho at the POC headquarters in Pasig City.
Camacho took part in the meeting via teleconference call from China.
Named to head the three-man election supervisory group is Rene Sarmiento, formerly commissioner of Comelec. Vic Calvo of the NCAA was also appointed while the third will come from the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center.
Their appointment will be tackled during the POC’s Extraordinary General Assembly on July 18 at Manila Golf.
Mananquil, who spoke to the sports media following the meeting, said the Executive Board followed exactly the IOC’s order and that the IOC will be informed formally so it could prepare to dispatch a representative.
Even the Olympic Council of Asia is sending a representative not only to the July 18 GA but during the elections on July 28.
Only the positions of president, chairman and two board slots will be filled following the resignation of Ricky Vargas last June 17 and the similar move made by chairman Bambol Tolentino and board members Clint Aranas and Cynthia Carrion.
Tolentino, closely aligned with the group of resigned POC president Vargas, has expressed his desire to run for the presidency. The Tagaytay congressman and cycling chief might end up facing athletics chief Philip Ella Juico.
