Nagpapatawag ng general election ang sinibak na si board member Joey Romasanta at sinabing invalid ang appointment ni Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas noong Lunes.
Tinanggal ni Vargas ang ilang POC board members sa idinaos na General Assembly kasama si Romasanta, na siyang chef de mission sa 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Pinangalanan ni Vargas si POC chairman Bambol Tolentino bilang kapalit ni Romasanta
“The appointments he announced are invalid because these have to be approved by the Executive Board,” pahayag ni Romasanta.
Winakasan ni Vargas ang mahigit isang dekadang pamumuno ni Peping Cojuangco bilang pangulo ng POC noong Pebrero 2017 sa isang re-election.
Dito inihayag na ang susunod na botohan ay magaganap sa Enero 2020.
Dahil sa naganap na tanggalan, nais ng grupo ni Romasanta ng agarang general elections.
“To determine whether he indeed has the support of the members of the General Assembly, to save the 30th SEA Games and the POC as an institution, we are calling for the general elections to be held at the soonest possible time and we will agree to declare all positions vacant if that happens,” ani Romasanta.
Naalis din sa puwesto sina membership committee head Robert Bachmann, board member Peping Cojuangco, 2019 SEA Games chef de mission Monsour Del Rosario and deputy CDM Charlie Ho dahil sa “lost of trust and confidence” at umano’y unauthorized meetings.
Ngunit ayon kay Romasanta, maari tinanggal sila nung kinuwestiyon ng nasabing miyembro ang overpricing ng Asics bilang official apparel ng PHI contingent at mga katanungan tungkol sa status ng Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC). Pinabulaanan ni POC communications director Ed Picson ang alegasyon ni Romasanta.
Samantala inihayag ni Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo ang pagsuporta ng Palasyo sa POC leadership sa gitna ng kontrobersyang kinakaharap nito ngayon.
“The Palace expresses support to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Ricky Vargas and POC Chairman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino,” ani Panelo.
Nanawagan din si Panelo na huwag ng isama ang sports sa pulitika at sa halip ay magtulungan na lang para sa hosting ng 30th Southeast Asian Games ngayong Nobyembre. “We should be together rallying behind and supporting all the Filipino athletes who are set to compete in the games as we extend our world-famous warmth and hospitality to our brothers and sisters in the region who are coming to Manila either to participate and represent or cheer their nations,” sabi pa ni Panelo.
