POC appeals court ruling to hold polls
“The board decided we should appeal the decision of the lower court,” POC president Peping Cojuangco said after the four-hour meeting. Philstar.com/File Photo
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Olympic Committee will be seeking legal remedies to stop the enforcement of the court-ordered elections on Feb. 23.
The POC board yesterday unanimously decided to authorize POC’s lawyers to file an appeal before the Court of Appeals requesting for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the Pasig RTC’s decision ordering a new election for president and chairman.
“The board decided we should appeal the decision of the lower court,” POC president Peping Cojuangco said after the four-hour meeting.
The Pasig court had declared the POC’s November 2016 elections that reinstalled Cojuangco null and void and ruled that the POC acted “beyond its powers” in disqualifying boxing chief Ricky Vargas and cycling boss Abraham Tolentino from running as president and chairman, respectively.
POC’s legal team led by Adi Castro will file the appeal before Jan. 22.
Cojuangco said the Olympic body wants the higher court to “clearly define” the words “active members” in the POC election provision that led to Vargas’ and Tolentino’s disqualification.
“We want a definition of what is an active member. Do we go with the interpretation of one person?” he said.
“When you become president of POC, it’s an important position that if anybody gets there without knowing what’s going on, then you have an organization that won’t move anywhere,” he said.
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