By Jerome S. Galunan, Jr.

Following the recent Pasig City Regional Trial Court-Branch 155 decision that ruled the 2016 Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) elections null and void, former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chair, Dr. Perry Mequi, called the decision useless and said it will be ignored.

The court invalidated the result citing the disqualification of presidential candidate, Alliance Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) President Victorio Vargas, as the POC executive board acted “beyond the scope of its power and authority.”

Previously, the POC election committee cited the POC constitution in Vargas’ disqualification, noting, in order to serve as president, one must be “an active member of the POC General Assembly for two consecutive years.”

However, Vargas argued, the term “active member” was not explicitly defined.

The court ruled a new election be conducted on February 23, 2018 between Vargas and incumbent POC President Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco, who has held the position since 2004.

According to Mequi, Cojuangco plans to appeal the decision and, if unsuccessful, will take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“Only the CAS decision is final,” the former PSC chair noted.

PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez affirmed, “This is only a moral victory for Vargas.”

“[Cojuangco] will stay until he ‘rots’ there [at POC],” he added./JSG, WDJ