THE Philippine Olympic Committee will not recognize the outcome if the Philippine Tennis Association pushes through with the election of its officers today at the Tennis Center inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Coliseum.
POC vice president Joey Romasanta told Manila Standard yesterday that the POC will not send a representative pending the clarifications they sought from parties calling for the meeting and the elections.
In a letter to POC president Jose “Peping”Cojuangco, Philta secretary-general Romeo Magat requested for a POC observer for the June 9 meeting of the 12 board members.
One of the agenda is to elect among themselves the new president of Philta, which has been wracked by leadership squabbling the past few months.
Romasanta, however, said the POC does not recognize Magat’s authority to convene and call for an election because “only the president can call for a meeting and an election of the association.”
“We at the POC still recognize Mr. (Edwin) Olivarez on a holdover capacity,” said Romasanta.
Olivarez resigned from the Philta top post a few months back but the process of his succession was unclear, creating a vacuum of power within the Philta leadership.
POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros affirmed Romasanta’s pronouncement, saying “Olivarez has to do his job as president (because he is still the recognized president of Philta).”
“Hindi tayo nakikialam pero we have to toe the line and put things in proper perspective,” said Hontiveros, who also asked Olivarez to provide the POC with the official list of board of trustees, who will be allowed to vote in the elections.
Four new board of trustees namely Jean Henri Lhuillier, Virgilio Gerardo Maronilla, Antonio Cablitas and Martin Misa have no record on file at the POC.
Lhuillier, who is being groomed to lead Philta, had requested Olivarez to postpone the June 9 elections because of a previously arranged trip abroad.
But he got a response from Magat that date cannot be reset anymore. Having received a negative reply, Lhuillier wrote the POC for consideration.
