No end in sight
The crisis in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) appears far from over after POC president Ricky Vargas called for a separate meeting ahead of the 18 June
gab set by members of the POC executive council. In a text message to Daily Tribune, Vargas confirmed that he instructed POC secretary general Patrick Gregorio to call for an executive council meeting on 17 June, a move seen by the majority as an attempt to preempt their regular
board meeting set the following day.
Vargas is under fire from eight of the 12 POC
board members.
He is being questioned for his involvement
in the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation Inc., a body that acts as chief organizer of the 30th SEA Games without approval from
the POC executive council.
Aside from that, POC board members
also wants him to shed light on the questionable contract with Asics as well as his previous statements before the media, status of payment for the broadcast rights of the 18th Asian Games last year and his behavior during the general assembly last 27 May where he showered everybody with expletives before recalling the appointments of key
members of the POC executive council.
The POC board members initially set a meeting on 17
June to finally clear the air as they head to the crucial stretch of their SEA Games preparation. But some members begged off due to previous commitments, prompting them to move the meeting to 18 June at the POC headquarters in
Pasig City, instead.
Surprisingly, Vargas also called for a separate meeting on 17 June shortly after receiving the memo of the 18 June discussion last Thursday.
The meeting called by Vargas, however, didn’t indicate any agenda and would be held at the 10th floor of the SM Aura Premier, where government offices of Taguig City are located, including that of Phisgoc chairman Alan Peter Cayetano, who was elected as congressman of the first district of Taguig.
“We will decline,” said POC board member Clint Aranas.
“We want a BOD (board of directors) meeting to be attended only by POC members. The fact that other agencies are attending undermines the integrity, independence and sanctity of the board.”
Based on the POC constitution and by-laws, only the POC president and the majority of the POC executive council can call for a meeting. In this instance, Vargas’ meeting is valid for being the chief of the local Olympic council. But he doesn’t have the support of the majority, relegating the 17 June talks into a mere caucus among him and his top allies in POC chairman Abraham Tolentino, POC board
member Cynthia Carrion and Gregorio.
On the other hand, the POC executive council has the numbers,
giving it the power to approve and pass board resolutions even without Vargas in attendance.
We want a BOD (board of directors) meeting to be attended only by POC members.
In fact, in a special board meeting last 30 April, the board successfully passed some resolutions even without Vargas. Among those resolutions was the five-day notice given to Vargas to explain his involvement in some controversial issues.
Aside from Aranas, comprising the majority are POC first vice president Joey Romasanta, second vice president Jeff Tamayo, treasurer Julian Camacho, auditor Jonne Go and board members Prospero Pichay and Robert Mananquil.
“The meeting on the 17th will turn into a mere caucus because we will not be there. He won’t have any quorum,” said a senior POC board member, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
