Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chairman Abraham Tolentino.
MANILA -- A day after the surprise resignation of Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas, POC Chairman Abraham Tolentino announced on Thursday that he intends to call a special election for the position vacated by Vargas.
Tolentino said he plans to formally announce this during the scheduled General Assembly on June 25.
Under the POC bylaws, Tolentino said a special election may be called by the chairman within 30 days from the date the vacancy arises if the named successors — first vice president and second vice president — are not qualified to succeed.
He said the two officers must possess the qualifications of a POC president. Among others, they must be an incumbent president of an Olympic sport-national sports association (NSA).
Article 7, Section 11 is categorical that the president of the POC must have had at least four years of experience as NSA president of an Olympic sport at the time of his election as POC president, and must be elected from any of the incumbent NSA presidents representing an Olympic sport, in addition to being active an member of the POC General Assembly for two consecutive years at the time of his election, he explained.
At present, POC vice president Jose Romasanta is vice president of volleyball while second vice president Antonio Tamayo is president of soft tennis, which is not an Olympic sport.
“Therefore, pursuant to Article 7, Section 6, since neither the 1st VP nor 2nd VP meet the qualification required of a POC president, the Chairman of POC is duty-bound to call an election to fill in the vacancy within 30 days from the date the vacancy arises,” Tolentino said in a statement.
On June 18, Vargas tendered his irrevocable resignation as POC head amid the country’s preparations to host the 30th Southeast Asian Games from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 this year.
“This is to inform the executive board of the Philippine Olympic Committee that I am tendering my irrevocable resignation from the post of president of the organization effective immediately,” Vargas said in a one-page resignation letter.
“After much introspection, I have determined that there would be other sports leaders who have the time and inclination needed to lead the POC more effectively,” he added. (PR)
