Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino of cycling formally clinched the presidency of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) in dramatic and thrilling fashion yesterday at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.

Tolentino, the POC chairman who stepped down following the controversial squabble that rocked the POC leadership last month, claimed the top position after beating Philip Ella Juico of athletics, 24-20, in the special elections that was witnessed by a representative from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

A total of 44 out of the 46 voting members cast their votes with rugby deciding to abstain while shooting was a no-show.

Tolentino would serve the remaining term of Ricky Vargas of boxing, who stepped down last month after members of the POC executive council found out that he formed the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation Inc. without their approval.

Vargas was one of the eight incorporators of Phisgoc Foundation, which aims to organize the biennial meet without the imprimatur of the POC executive council.

This is my second family. I’m here to serve; not to be served. So tomorrow, I will start serving my family — the sports community.

Aside from Tolentino, also serving for the next 16 months are Steve Hontiveros of handball as chairman and Clint Aranas of archery and Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics as board members.

They will join holdovers in the executive council like first vice president Joey Romasanta of volleyball, second vice president Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis, treasurer Julian Camacho of wushu, auditor Jonne Go of canoe-kayak and board members Robert Mananquil of billiards and Prospero Pichay of chess.

Equestrian chief Jose “Peping” Cojuangco was supposed to remain as the past immediate president for serving the previous term from 2012 to 2016, but Tolentino strongly contested it, saying that his top ally in Vargas was the rightful owner of the position, a statement that could spark another heated confrontation in the next POC executive council meeting.

And it will be quite difficult for Tolentino to push for his pet resolutions as the group of Romasanta still controls the majority.

Still, Tolentino calls for unity, especially now that the 30th SEA Games is drawing near.

“I think that as the saying goes, it’s time to set aside our differences and move forward. Let us all be united because we’re preparing and focusing on the SEA Games this year and the Para Games and the Olympics next year,” Tolentino said.

“This is my second family. I’m here to serve; not to be served. So tomorrow, I will start serving my family — the sports community.”

Tolentino said he would appoint Patrick Gregorio of boxing as secretary general with Richard Gomez of fencing as his deputy. He will also tap Lucas Managuelod of muay thai as membership committee chairman replacing Robert Bachmann of squash.

Tolentino also said the upcoming biennial meet will remain as his major focus with Phisgoc Foundation, the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at the helm.

After the SEA Games, which is set from 30 November to 11 December at the New Clark City in Tarlac, the three bodies will work for the Southeast Asian Para Games and the Olympics.

“The Southeast Asian Games will still remain our main focus. We’re not yet moving away from that direction,” said Tolentino, the upcoming chairman of the powerful Committee on Accounts in the 18th Congress.

“We’ll still focus on that. We have only few months to go. We’re still in that direction where the Phisgoc, the POC and the PSC will

work together for the success of the SEA Games, the Para Games and the Olympics next year.”

Meanwhile, Hontiveros said his election is a sign that he is not yet done serving the Olympic council.

Hontiveros, who once served president of the World Bowling Congress, took a brief hiatus following the loss of Cojuangco to Vargas in a court-ordered election last year.

But now that he was given fresh chance to serve, he said he would do his best to serve the POC.

“When Peping lost in the election last year, I was already happy because I can now take a break,” said Hontiveros, who has been part of the POC executive council in various capacities since 1977.

“But it didn’t end there. I won again. It means that I’m not yet done. I think God made me win because I still have a mission to serve.”