Tolentino urges POC execs to vacate posts

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Bambol Tolentino yesterday welcomed the International Olympic Committee’s order for an orderly resolution to the POC’s raging leadership crisis and reiterated his call for his fellow executives to vacate the board seats and clear the way for special elections no later than July 18.

The IOC and the Olympic Council of Asia had stepped in and set guidelines on how the POC should “clarify and rectify” the situation, requiring the board to provide official info as to which positions are vacant and then take appropriate action with the general assembly (GA) as the final decision-maker. 

All throughout, the POC should coordinate with the two international bodies, which expressed their intention to send “observers” in the extraordinary GA to make sure everything’s done in accordance to the POC charter.

“I am in complete agreement with the position of the IOC and OCA as enunciated by Messrs MacLeod and Al Musallam that wishes of the General Assembly should be respected and followed,” Tolentino said a day after the POC received a letter from IOC director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC Relations James MacLeod and OCA director general and technical director Husain Al-Musallam.

Tolentino said following the earlier resignation of president Ricky Vargas, it’s the general assembly’s sentiment to have all positions vacant, which was voiced by an exasperated fencing chief and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez during their June 25 meeting. In response, Tolentino said he offered to step down and was followed by board members Clint Aranas and Cynthia Carrion, auditor Jonne Go, treasurer Julian Camacho and first VP Joey Romasanta.

“I call on all of them to honor their word, which they gave in front of the POC general assembly members last June 25...and to those not present, I also urge them to heed the members’ call,” he said.