Ricky Vargas: No need for backup

MANILA, Philippines — Ricky Vargas has rolled the dice: there’s no need for backup.

While they had the option to field backup candidates for the positions of POC president and chairman, the Vargas camp has chosen and decided otherwise.

“Hindi na (No need). We will stick to our original plan,” Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines secretary-general Ed Picson told The STAR yesterday morning.

For Vargas, there’s no Plan B. 

Vargas is confident that he has the numbers to unseat Cojuangco and end the equestrian chief’s reign as POC president since 2004.

The boxing official said they have the support of 23 NSAs (national sports association). There are only 43 voting members of the POC General Assembly, and 23 votes will win the election.

If Vargas is disqualified, Cojuangco will once again run for president unopposed.

Vargas’ camp could have fielded a third candidate for POC president, and in case he is disqualified, then they have a second candidate to challenge Cojuangco.

It could be anyone from among Vargas’ supporters – as long as he or she is qualified.

Vargas’ fate as a candidate remains in the balance. Like in 2016, he is facing disqualification by the POC elections committee due to questions on his being an active member of the General Assembly.

Initially, the camp of Vargas had interpreted that the court order calling for new elections for the positions of president and chairman as saying that Cojuangco and Vargas are the only ones who can run for president.

All along, the POC knew that any other qualified candidate or candidates other than Cojuangco and Vargas for president and cycling president Abraham Tolentino for chairman can run.

“It is not inclusive to the said candidates. Any qualified NSA official can join the elections,” said POC first vice president Jose Romasanta as early as last December.

Tolentino, a congressman from Tagaytay City, had also interpreted the court order as saying that he will be the lone candidate for chairman in tomorrow’s elections.

Yesterday, in time for the 12 noon deadline, table tennis president Ting Ledesma filed his candidacy as chairman, and will challenge Tolentino, in case the latter is given the green light by the elections committee.

Tolentino is in the same boat with Vargas because of the active member issues. If he is disqualified, then Ledesma will have no rival for the post of POC chairman.