THE provisions that disqualified boxing chief Ricky Vargas is not clearly stated in the constitution and bylaws of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Lawyer Jake Corporal explained this before the three-man election panel of the Philippine Olympic Committee that met yesterday to discuss the appeal of Vargas, in his bid to run for POC president in the coming election on Nov. 25.
“What they’re trying to do is hold us to a qualification that’s not in the bylaws,” said Corporal as he and Vargas appeared for a the panel in a two-hour meeting at the UCC Café inside the Capitol Commons in Pasig City.
Corporal said that this was the first time that Vargas was formally informed that the bare minimum requirement in running for one of the highest positions in the POC is attendance in majority of the general assembly meetings.
“Attendance in the majority of the general assembly meetings, which is not in the bylaws, is now required. So, that’s the interpretation today. It could be different tomorrow. It could be different in the next election, and in the election after,” said Corporal.
He believes that such a requirement should have been amended first into the bylaws by the general assembly before it could have been applied to aspiring candidates.
Vargas said he was glad that his side was heard, and it was unfortunate that he was disqualified first before he was given due process.
“At the end, there was discussion on what active member meant. And what their definition of what active meant, and how their point of view came about. Due process should have come before disqualification,” said Vargas.
Elizalde said the panel is set to come out with its decision within 24 hours, and once the parties involved have been notified.
Vargas, who is the president of the Amateur Boxing Alliance of the Philippines, believes that the process by which the Commission on Elections of the POC disqualified him to run for president in its coming election is flawed.
Elizalde, the former International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative to the country, discussed the merit of the appeal before the panel, which is also composed of Bro. Bernie Oca of La Salle and Cong. Conrado Estrella, who is with the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development.
The decision, according to the Vargas ‘must be reversed,’ and after the election panel questioned his attendance over the last four years.
The panel also tackled the questions raised by cycling official Abraham Tolentino’s group on triathlon chief Tom Carrasco’s bid seek reelection as chairman.
Tolentino has put the candidacy of Tom Carrasco for the chairmanship under protest.
Philcycling secretary general Billy Sumagui wrote a letter to the POC election committee questioning Carrasco’s eligibility because is no longer the president of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP).
Since August 31, Carrasco was replaced by Mon Marchan as president. Carrasco is now the secretary general of TRAP.
Meanwhile, Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas secretary general Richard Palou questioned the qualification of LVPI president Peter Cayco to cast a vote in the coming elections as their official representative.
In his letter to Elizalde, Joey Romasanta is the LVPI’s president on record, and Cayco has never been elected to the post. Romasanta is holding another post, which is as president of the Philippine Karatedo Federation.