An electoral battle between Clint Aranas and Abraham Tolentino is in the offing following the resignation of Joey Romasanta as president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

Multiple sources told Daily Tribune that Aranas is being groomed to be the standard bearer of the POC executive council while Tolentino admitted that he is eyeing the presidency to carry the cudgels for the group of former POC chief Ricky

Vargas. Vargas,

who defeated Jose “Peping” Cojuangco

in a court-ordered election last year, stepped down two weeks ago after

the POC executive board questioned his involvement in the Philippine Southeast Asian

Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation, Inc., a body that aims to organize the 30th SEA

Games without board approval from the local Olympic council.

The board found out that Vargas acted on his own as he agreed to be one of the eight incorporators of Phisgoc Foundation together with POC secretary general Patrick Gregorio, POC communications director Ed Picson and

former POC chairman Tom Carrasco.

With that, the POC executive board gave

Vargas enough time to explain his position. But instead of shedding light, he opted to step down, prompting Romasanta to become the POC chief by virtue of succession.

But in the extraordinary general assembly meeting last Tuesday, Tolentino strongly questioned Romasanta’s qualification, giving the volleyball chief no choice but to step down.

He, however, clarified that he just resigned as interim president and not as first vice president -- a position that he won during the POC elections in 2016.

Also resigning were Tolentino as POC chairman and Aranas as POC board member, setting the stage for a dream showdown between the two political heavyweights.

“It’s going to be Bambol (Tolentino) versus Clint for the POC presidency,” said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity pending the creation of a special election panel and official filing of candidacy.

The past few weeks have been very challenging for the POC

Aranas presents solid credentials to run the POC.

The incumbent president of the National Archery Association of the Philippines started his career as staff of former Sen. Raul Roco before serving as tax lawyer, where he was recognized for being both incorruptible and competent. He served as deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue before being tasked to head the

Government Service Insurance System.

He has yet to officially declare that he is running, but members of his inner circle confirmed that he is ready to run in a bid to reform and protect the local

Olympic council as an institution.

“The past few weeks have been very

challenging for the POC,” said Aranas, who is

being groomed for the POC presidency for his resources, stature and political clout.

“But instead of being divided, this is our chance to band together and unite for a common goal. We have to work together and protect the POC, especially its constitution, traditions and mandate.”

On the same note, Tolentino is also not a pushover

The president of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines and secretary general of the International Chess Federation is still fresh from an electoral victory as congressman of the eighth district of Cavite.

His elder brother, Francis, was also victorious after winning a seat in the Senate in the midterm polls recently.

He is also no stranger to sports politics after running as POC second vice president in 2008 under the ticket of Art Macapagal and 2012 under the banner of Monico Puentevella and Manny Lopez.

Although he lost in both elections, he stormed back in 2016 with Vargas as president. They were both disqualified but got a favorable decision from the Pasig Regional Trial Court, paving the way for the special elections last year.

“I asked members of my group if they want to run. If there’s somebody who wants to run, then I will gladly give way,” said Tolentino in a brief chat with select sportswriters late Tuesday.

“But since nobody wanted to run, I decided to take up the cudgels. As I’m always saying, I’m not after the position. I just like to put things in order and serve the POC with the trust and confidence of majority of the general assembly.”

The POC executive council is set to convene on 1 July in a special board meeting to iron out the kinks in the special elections, including the creation of an election panel and screening of the list of voters.