ABAP pinalagan ang desisyon ng POC Laban ‘di isusuko ni Vargas

MANILA, Philippines - Pumalag ang Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) sa diskwalipikasyon ni ABAP chief Ricky Vargas sa Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) elections na gaganapin sa susunod na buwan.

Ayon sa kampo ng ABAP, malinaw na hindi bi­nig­yan ng due process si Vargas hinggil sa agarang dis­kwalipikasyong inilatag ng POC election committee kaya’t umapela ito na baliktarin ang naturang desisyon.

“Ricky Vargas contends that the decision of the election committee to disqualify his candidacy for POC president is flawed and defective for lack of due process, both procedural and substantive. It must be reversed,” ayon sa statement.

Ipinunto ng ABAP na agad na inilabas ang desisyon nang hindi pa nabibigyan ng tamang proseso gaya ng pormal na pagpapaalam kay Vargas ng kanyang diskwalipikasyon gayundin ng pagkakaroon ng hearing upang ipaliwanag ang dahilan ng kanyang pagkakaalis sa listahan ng mga kandidato.

“First, the decision was made without any objection or opposition from a known third party. Second, it was hastily rendered without the basic requisite hearing having been accorded to Mr. Vargas. Third, while the disqualification was made public via a verbal declaration, no written resolution has to date been issued by the election committee specifying and explaining the grounds for the exclusion,” ayon pa sa statement.

Mali rin umano ang interpretasyon ng POC election committee sa salitang “active member” na nakasaad sa POC by-laws na siyang pangunahing naging dahilan ng diskwalipikasyon.

Nauna nang inihayag ng POC na bihirang dumalo si Vargas sa mga general assemblies sa loob ng dalawang taon kaya’t hindi ito maituturing na “active member” ng kumite.

“Active member is at best a nebulous eligibility requirement that has been left undefined by a clear cut set of parameters and criteria in the POC by-laws. The election committee, however, chose to limit the meaning and measure of a member’s activity solely to attendance and physical presence at the general assembly. This is deficient,” pagpapatuloy ng statement.

Kung pahihintulutan si Vargas na tumakbo sa eleksiyon, makakalaban nito si incumbent POC President Peping Cojuangco na naghahangad na makuha ang ikaapat na termino bilang POC chief.