Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella has thrown his support behind the presidential bid of baseball chief Chito Loyzaga in the coming elections of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Puentevella is backing Loyzaga’s bid for POC president opposite outgoing POC chief and Tagaytay City mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
The POC will hold its elections on November 29 at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Paranaque City with 61 national sport associations picking who will lead the organization in the next four years.
The weightlifting chief believes that a POC head must have been a former athlete, the reason why he is supporting Loyzaga, a former Philippine Basketball Association star and national team member.
Puentevella himself played several years for the De La Salle Green Archers in the NCAA, was a director of FIFA for more than eight years, a boxer and son of a national junior tennis champion Jesus Puentevella.
Loyzaga’s lineup in his bid includes Al Panlilio (basketball) for first vice president; Robert Bachmann (squash) for second VP; Dr. George Canlas (surfing) for treasurer and Rod Roque (weighlifting) for treasurer. Among those seeking posts as members of the board are South Cotabato second district Rep. Peter Miguel (archery), Dr. Charlie Ho (netball), Derek Ramsay (gymnastics) and Steven Virata (equestrian).
Tolentino’s “Working Team” also has Panlilio and Canlas in his ticket.
He also has Rep. Richard Gomez (modern pentathlon) as Second Vice President, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas (surfing) Treasurer and Donaldo “Don” Caringal (volleyball) as Auditor in his list.
Also in his ticket as board members are Alexander “Ali” Sulit (judo), Ferdinand “Ferdie” Agustin (jiu-jitsu), Leonora “Len” Escolante (canoe-kayak), Alvin Aguilar (wrestling) and Leah Jalandoni Gonzales (fencing).
