Screening Day

The supervisory body in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) elections will decide today the eligibility of several candidates aspiring to run in the POC polls on Nov. 30

The POC election committee, headed by former congressman Victorico Chaves, will convene to finalize the list of aspirants with the qualification of athletics chief Go Teng Kok on top of the agenda.

Go is challenging Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., the incumbent POC president, in the election set at the plush Alabang Country Club.

There are talks that Go might be disqualified. The Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) head was declared “persona non-grata” by the POC general assembly but a recent Supreme Court ruling penned by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno backed the legitimacy of Go’s candidacy.

“The POC can’t ignore the highest law of the land. There is no basis to disqualify my bid to run for president against Mr. Cojuangco,” said Go.

“To the POC, why do you have to emphasize in the list of candidates after my name that I am persona non-grata? What sense are you trying to prove? What you are doing will accumulate more votes for me. Let’s level the field for fair elections.”

The qualification of cycling chief and Tagaytay City mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Generoso Dungo of volleyball and chess president Prospero Pichay will also be under the microscope of the election committee, which has Bro. Bernard Oca of La Salle and Ateneo’s Ricky Palou as members. /inquirer