The International Olympic Committee has advised the Philippines to do its electoral process the right way.
It has sent a letter of warning to the Philippine Olympic Committee, which will discuss the timeliness and legality of a call for elections on July 5 in a special board meeting today.
Sports leaders will tackle the contents of the IOC letter, aside from getting updates on the preparations for the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games and going into formal talks on the planned polls in a gathering at the Mancom Conference Hall of the GSIS Bldg. in Pasay City.
The IOC is closely monitoring events that are unfolding in the POC.
Acting POC president Joey Romasanta informed the members of the POC of the letter.
“It’s (elections) not feasible for practical reasons. There’s a question on the legality and timeliness, to get the COMELEC to organize, and get the certificates of candidacy,” said POC spokesman Clint Aranas.
POC chairman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who heads the national sports association of cycling, will not attend the afternoon meeting and will instead attend to matters concerning his district, saying he will just wait for the executive board’s decision on his call for new elections.
Many technical issues have cropped up after Tolentino quickly called for an adjournment last week and declared the POC Extraordinary General Assembly at the GSIS gymnasium as invalid.
Tolentino said he invalidated the meeting at that time because the secretary general of the POC did not issue the proper notifications.
Officials now feel that seeking an election within 10 days—specifically on July 5–will no longer be possible.
“It appears that since there was no general assembly (and), the call for elections are being opposed,” said Aranas.
Aranas said the call for elections was done in an informal way and after members of the General Assembly engaged in an informal discussion that afternoon.
For an election to happen, according to Aranas, a formal meeting of the POC executive board will have to be called for the purposes of having polls.
From today’s meeting, the resignation of the Joey Romasanta as acting POC president and other officials who agreed to quit in principle with him can be confirmed.
For now, Romasanta and other officials will keep their post in the executive board in a holdover capacity, that is until elections are held.
So far, only board member Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis has not resigned, saying he will stay on until the end of his four-year term next year.
The positions that will be contested will be limited up to the remaining time of Ricky Vargas’ term when he quit his post three weeks ago.
“That way, we will be following the bylaws and, at the same time, heeding the call of Chairman Bambol (Tolentino),” added Aranas.
During the two-hour meeting held behind closed doors, Romasanta agreed to vacate his post to give way to new polls.
Aranas added that they will need two weeks to get the executive board in a meeting and get things done.
POC officials said the choice of election lawyer Gregorio Larazzabal to help in the polls was Tolentino’s choice.
The executive board needs to meet to ratify this.
Both Aranas and Tolentino are open to running for the presidency of the POC.
But first, they are keen on giving way to others who may be more qualified than them.
For now, Romasanta and other officials will keep their post in the executive board in a holdover capacity, that is until elections are held.
So far, only board member Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis has not resigned, saying he will stay on until the end of his four-year term next year.
The positions that will be contested will be limited up to the remaining time of Ricky Vargas’ term when he quit his post three weeks ago.
“That way, we will be following the by laws and, at the same time, heeding the call of Chairman Bambol (Tolentino),” added Aranas.
During the two-hour meeting held behind closed doors, Romasanta agreed to vacate his post to give way to new polls.
Aranas added that they will need two weeks to get the executive board in a meeting and get things done.
POC officials said the choice of election lawyer Gregorio Larazzabal to help in the polls was Tolentino’s choice.
The executive board needs to meet to ratify this.
Both Aranas and Tolentino are open to running for the presidency of the POC.
But first, they are keen on giving way to others who may be more qualified than them.
