Senate to investigate POC elections fiasco

By Jesse C. Ong

With no indication that the trou­ble will be over soon, the Senate decided to step in to investi­gate the turmoil surrounding the coming elections of the Philippine Olympic Commit­tee (POC).

Sen. Sonny Angara on Wednesday filed a resolution asking the Senate Committee on Sports to conduct an in­quiry into the unjust imposi­tion of eligibility requirements for the candidates for POC president that limit the partici­pation of other members.

Angara proposed the Sen­ate probe following the recent decision of the POC election committee to deny the protest filed by the camp of Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) chief Ricky Vargas against his disqualifica­tion from the POC presiden­tial race against three-termer Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr..

The lawmaker was par­ticularly alarmed by reports that the democratic election processes within the POC are under attack and that interest­ed candidates from member National Sports Associations (NSAs) are being prevented from participating as candi­dates due to unreasonable eli­gibility requirements imposed in the amended by-laws of the POC.

Angara said the issue has become more pressing considering the expiration of the terms of the incumbent officials this year and the upcoming elections scheduled on November 25, 2016. He added that the matter has to be resolved immedi­ately “as the continuous turmoil within the POC would hinder the development of Philippine sports.”

In the same resolution, Angara also asked the Senate to investigate the unliquidated funds amounting to P129.6 million released by the Phil­ippine Sports Commission (PSC) to the POC during the term of Cojuangco.

The committee on sports is chaired by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, with Angara serving as vice chairman.

The POC has already been furnished a copy of the resolution, along with the PSC, various NSAs, and other agencies and entities.