The 10th Division of the Court of Appeals has resolved to dismiss with prejudice the petition of the camp of former Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco to seek a temporary restraining order seeking to prevent POC polls from being held last Feb. 19.
Since the elections have already been held and that boxing chief Ricky Vargas, and cycling’s Abraham Tolentino are now president and chairman respectively, the court deemed such a petition to be moot and academic.
The ruling was made known to all parties last June 28, in a nine-page document signed by associate judges Ma. Filomena Singh, Sesinando Villar and Edwin Sorongon.
According to the decision, “because of the elections, the petitioners now move, not only to declare the motion for reconsideration moot and academic, but also for the dismissal of the petition, because, in effect, the petitioners have accepted the decision of the RTC, when they recognized the eligibility of respondents Vargas and Tolentino to run for the position of president and chairman.”
Vargas said he is relieved to learn of the court’s decision.
“I am heartened by the decision even as we are actually planning to file a petition to dismiss the case,” said Vargas.