PHILIP Ella 'Popoy' Juico and Rep. Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino will contest the presidency of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) in special elections on Sunday at the Century Park Hotel.
Juico, president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa), and Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (Philcycling) head Tolentino submitted their respective applications on Thursday.
Running along with Juico are handball's Steve Hontiveros (chairman), Lani Velasco of swimming, and archery's Clint Aranas (both as board of directors).
Tolentino's ticket meanwhile, is composed of taekwondo's Robert Aventajado (chairman) and weightlifting's Monico Puentebella and Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics (as board of directors).
The positions being contested were declared vacant following the resignation of POC officials led by previous president Ricky Vargas.
Tolentino was chairman under Vargas' term, but resigned as well to seek the presidency of the country's highest Olympic body.
Juico on the other hand, was former chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) under the term of President Ramos from 1995-98. He is also current president of the Philippine Super Liga (PSL).
An election committee has been formed to oversee the conduct of polls led by lawyer Teodoro Kalaw IV, Letran athletic director Fr. Vic Calvo, and Rep. Conrado Estrella.
A representative from the International Olympic Committe (IOC) and the Olynpic Council of Asia (OCA) in the person of India Olympic Committee president Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra is in the country to observe the election.
A total of 46 regular members of the POC, two representatives of the Athletes Commission and IOC representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski will cast their votes in the second special elections to be held by the POC in less than two years.
The first one led to Vargas taking over the reins of the country's highest sports body by ending the long reign of Peping Cojuangco.
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