The victory of Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino as Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president in a special election last week raised more questions than answers.

It created more troubles as it effectively brought the POC back to where it started since former chief Ricky Vargas stepped down after his executive board questioned his involvement in the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation, Inc.

We know that the Phisgoc Foundation is the main reason behind this massive trouble.

Vargas and seven other incorporators created their own organizing body without informing the POC executive board, which is supposed to be the franchise-holder of the biennial meet in the country in accordance to the mandate given by the Southeast Asian Games Federation Council, Olympic Council of Asia and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

And when the board members found out and started raising questions, Vargas took the easiest way out and tendered his irrevocable resignation.

Problem solved?

Definitely no.

This issue is still far from over.

Sure, Tolentino bagged the POC presidency. But he will still be sitting next to the same people who questioned Vargas in the POC boardroom. These board members are still searching for answers, hunting down the truth in what would go down as the biggest, greatest controversy in Philippine sports.

Tolentino has yet to formally assume power, but war had already erupted.

In his very first public statement as POC president, Tolentino said his first order of business was to get rid of membership committee chairman Robert Bachmann and former SEA Games chief of mission Charlie Ho.

It didn't come as a surprise.

It was the tandem of Bachmann and Ho that exposed the overpriced transaction with an apparel company. Yes, the deal wasn't consummated as the Philippine Sports Commission rejected it, but it was Ho who opened the can of worms while Bachmann went out of his way to personally verify and check the retail prices.

Few seconds later, Tolentino took back his pronouncement and said it was just a joke.

But nobody was laughing. Jokes are half-meant.

Tolentino also called for a special board meeting without asking his fellow board members if they will be available in his desired time and venue.

The call for meeting may have gone through the process as it had a five-day notice, but Tolentino should have gently asked his fellow board members first if they would be available so that everybody will be on the same page.

The result was a disaster as first vice president Joey Romasanta, second vice president Jeff Tamayo, treasurer Julian Camacho, auditor Jonne Go, board members Prospero Pichay, Robert Mananquil and Clint Aranas were all absent that resulted to a no-quorum.

The only board members present were chairman Steve Hontiveros, board member Cynthia Carrion and, yes, Tolentino.

Still, the cycling boss came up with a list of appointees ranging from familiar faces like secretary general Patrick Gregorio, deputy secretary general Richard Gomez and legal counsel Alberto Agra to a non-POC member like spokesperson Chiqui Roa-Puno.

### It's pretty obvious that the wounds created by the political conflict and jockeying for positions are greatly hurting the POC as an institution.

Interestingly, IOC member Frank Elizalde is no longer being considered as part of the POC executive council and was just treated as a mere guest during the board meeting.

In a press statement, Tolentino made the confirmation, saying that Elizalde's as his seat in the POC executive board was already taken by Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski via the virtue of his resignation as the IOC representative in the country.

Was that the real reason?

Or maybe because they learned that the POC board members are already preparing a complaint against Vargas and his allies in the POC ethics committee — a powerful body that Elizalde chairs?

Let's admit it: Tolentino couldn't properly function without the support of his board.

On the same note, the board members may have the numbers but they also couldn't function without their president.

It's pretty obvious that the wounds created by the political conflict and jockeying for positions are greatly hurting the POC as an institution.

But Tolentino and the POC board have no choice but to co-exist.

They have to do it for the sake of the country and its hosting of the biennial meet.