AS ATHLETES, coaches and numerous supporters outside the Westside Grill of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong started to holler and clap in celebration, former Tarlac Congressman Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. quietly walked away from the big hall, headed for the driveway, boarded his car and sped away from the merriment.
The numbers on a whiteboard said it all—15 votes for Cojuangco and 24 votes for boxing chief Victorico “Ricky” Vargas, signaling a new dawn for Philippine sports.
Finally given a chance to run for the POC presidency a day earlier, Vargas was elected as the new president of the Olympic body, with Tagaytay Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino being named chairman.
Tolentino, who heads PhilCycling, got 23 votes, beating his opponent Ting Ledesma of table tennis.
Vargas, who will serve the remainder of Cojuangco’s remaining term, has now successfully followed of his grandfather Jorge B. Vargas, who was the second president of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation from 1936 to 1955.
This ends Cojuangco’s years with the POC, which started 13 years ago in 2005. He was nearly in tears when he left his table with his daughter, IOC representative Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.
Peter Atencio
It was a double celebration for Vargas, who celebrated his 66th birthday on Saturday, and for Tolentino, who turned 53 on Friday, the day of the election.
“There were many indications that we will be disqualified. But I thank the Comelec for seeing though this, to allow us to run,” said Vargas, who added a lot of work is now at hand.
He is ready to work on the preparations for the 2018 Asian Games and the country’s hosting of the 2019 SEA Games with Foreign Affairs secretary Allan Peter Cayetano.
Election committee member and former IOC representative Frank Elizalde, who was joined by former justice secretary John Agra and Bro. Bernie Oca of De La Salle University were on hand to supervise the one-hour election.
Elizalde said that the election committee finally allowed Vargas and Tolentino to run because the issue has already been resolved in court.
“That’s the end of my responsibility. They carried out the orders of the court. OK. You now have a new president and a chairman,” said the 84-year-old Elizalde, who clarified there was no government intervention that took place in this case.
“There is no government intervention because we are dealing with judicial procedure. And nobody in the POC is beyond the dictates of the law and the legal authorities of this country,” added Elizalde.
Among those not allowed to vote were officials from swimming, shooting and weightlifting because the elections within their associations have not been done in accordance to the procedure, according to the POC.
“Saka na ako magsasalita. Baka may masabi akong hindi mabuti,” said Cojuangco while on his way to the driveway.
Vargas and Tolentino were disqualified by the election panel during the polls in 2016, allowing Cojuangco to run unopposed and secure a new term as president.
But the Pasig Regional Trial Court ruled in favor of the complaint filed by Vargas.
Judge Maria Gracia Cadiz-Casaclang of Branch 155 declared the election for the position of POC president and chairman on Nov. 25, 2016 as null and void, ordering new polls on Feb. 23.
The POC appealed the RTC decision but was denied by the Court of Appeals.