RICKY VARGAS VS. PEPING COJUANGCO : FIGHT OF THE CENTURY

courtesy of philstar.com

The fight between ABAP President Ricky Vargas against POC President Peping Cojuangco is, without a doubt, the fight of the century for Philippine sports.

The incumbent POC president scored an early knockdown against Vargas via disqualification case. But with the help of his battery of lawyers, Vargas hopes to finally win over his 82-year old opponent.

The fight is significant because it will show whether Cojuangco can actually be defeated for the position of POC president. Should Vargas fail in his bid to run against Cojuangco, then the prospect of having Cojuangco as POC president for life becomes real more than ever. With Elizalde as the head of the POC Election Committee, it is pretty much useless to expect the committee to reverse its initial decision. With that, Vargas has no other recourse but to elevate his case to IOC and CAS.

At the IOC, Cojuangco still has the advantage. Elizalde, after all, is a member of the extremely powerful Ethics Committee of the IOC. The presence of Cojuangco's daughter, Mikee, who is the official Philippine representative to the IOC, makes it doubly hard for Vargas to gain headway.

The last and only forum where I believe Vargas has a fair chance of winning his case is at the Court of Arbitration (CAS). Elevating his disqualification case to CAS will mean Vargas will have to spend a substantial amount of money. But then again, Vargas has the necessary resources to be able to see his case to its end. At the CAS, Vargas can get the best possible lawyer to handle his case. Cojuangco, for his part, I believe will not gladly part with his money to get an expensive lawyer at CAS. This is where Vargas has an advantage.

I believe that Vargas will do everything and anything to win the POC presidency. His fight not only involves himself but all the groups and companies that he represents. The bigger picture is not about sports per se. But one man's attempt to perpetuate himself and how someone chooses to do the right thing and prevent the perpetuation from happening.

ANG MALAKING PAGKAKAMALI NI POC PRESIDENT PEPING COJUANGCO

courtesy of sports.inquirer.net

Nagdesisyon ang POC Election Committee na idiskwalipika si Ginoong Ricky Vargas sa pagtakbo sa pagkapangulo ng POC. Iginiit ni Frank Elizalde, na siyang namumuno ng POC Election Committee, na kulang sa pagdalo si Vargas sa mga POC General Assemblies kaya ito hindi maaring tumakbo bilang POC president.

At ito ang malaking pagkakamali ni Peping at kanyang mga alipores.

Sa pagpigil ng kampo ni Cojuangco na patakbuhin si Vargas bilang POC president, naransan na rin ng grupo ni MVP kung paano maging biktima ng pang-aabuso ng grupo ni Peping Cojuangco. Kung dati, nananatiling walang pakialam ang grupo ni MVP sa mga pang-aapi sa iba't-ibang NSA's, ngayon alam na nila kung gaano kasakit ang mapagkaitan ng karapatan. Ngayon, alam na nila ang pakiramdam kung paano maapi. Higit sa lahat, alam na nila ngayon kung gaano na kabulok ang sistema sa pamamahala ng sports sa Pilipinas.

Tiyak na hindi tatahimik lang sa isang tabi ang grupo ni MVP sa nangyaring pagdiskwalipika sa nag-iisang kalaban ni Cojuangco sa pangkapangulo ng POC. Asahan na gagawa ang grupo ng mga hakbang na tiyak na ikakalumpo ni Cojuangco. At ito na marahil ang magsisilbing mitsa para sa inaasam na pagbabago ng Philippine sports.

POC PRESIDENCY : CHOICE BETWEEN GOOD OR EVIL

courtesy of spin.ph

   
                   It is your  choice between more of the same or something new. - Ricky Vargas

The statement above is how ABAP President Ricky Vargas describes the POC election this November. The statement is rather weak in view of what is happening in Philippine sports.

In Cojuangco's 12-year reign, we have witnessed how several NSA's were displaced and disenfranchised by POC. The latest NSA to be disenfranchised is PVF. POC too have shattered the dreams of some of our athletes to represent the country in international competitions as members of the national team. The Azkals and paddlers of PDBF are just a few of those who were not allowed to compete abroad as Philippine representatives to major tournaments.

This election therefore goes beyond a choice between something old and new. Rather, it is a choice between good or evil.

Up to this point, I am rather disappointed at how Ricky Vargas is running his campaign. In one of his statements, Vargas said that he is even allowing POC to claim that it is successful in running Philippine sports. The statement is a disservice to all the NSA's, athletes and everyone else who have experienced injustice at the hands of POC. To even associate the word successful with POC is an insult to all those who were oppressed by POC.

The failure to define the coming POC as a choice between good or evil, I think, stems from the fact that Ricky Vargas himself refuses to articulate in definite terms the serious mistakes and abuses of POC. His refusal to make definitive statements prevent the election from turning into a choice between what is right or wrong. If only Vargas can be bold and straightforward, then the choice becomes clearer.

I am really hoping that Vargas wins the POC presidency. But I am also hoping that he is brave enough to call a spade a spade. I am really hoping that he is smart enough to elevate his campaign to an issue-oriented run. That way, the election will truly become a choice between good or evil.

HOW TO BEAT PEPING COJUANGCO FOR THE POC PRESIDENCY

courtesy of INQUIRER.net

If POC elections were held right now, incumbent POC President Jose Cojuangco Jr. will easily win. In the last POC elections, the 82-year old sports official got 32 votes out of the 43 total votes cast.

There are 3 ways that I can think of that may spell defeat for the incumbernt POC president :

1. Get President Duterte to endorse Cojuangco's opponent.

2. Force Cojuangco to withdraw from the race for some reason.

3. Get the Ombudsman to release the guilty verdict to Cojuangco's cases before the POC elections.

To believe that an opponent can actually win in an election against Cojuangco is pure naivete. Joey Romasanta , Cojuangco's right-hand man, for one, counts for two votes for Cojuangco. He is, after all, the president of both the volleyball and karatedo federations. Cojuangco has cleverly placed his men in various NSA's over the years, making it virtually impossible for him to lose in an election. Unless any of the three that I mentioned happens, it will surely be another victory for Cojuangco as POC president this November.

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE LVPI

While it is true that Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) scored a major victory at the recently-held 35th FIVB World Congress, PVF still has to pass through the eye of a needle to claim complete victory. The FIVB recommendation to conduct an investigation, I believe, is a mere ploy to give Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) more time to defend its claim as the national federation for volleyball in the Philippines. As seen from the General Assembly, FIVB and IOC officials who are friends with POC and LVPI pushed for the creation of an investigative body that will decide the case. Clearly, the influence and power of POC and LVPI were clearly displayed during the FIVB General Assembly

When FIVB starts its investigation, stakeholders would certainly be interviewed. These stakeholders include players and coaches. I doubt whether these players and coaches will favor PVF. After all, they earn and feed their families through the leagues conducted by PSL and Shakeys VLeague which are members of LVPI. It is but natural for these players and coaches to side with an organization that sustains them.

An investigation too reduces the number to people who will decide on the PVF case. PVF managed to pull an upset at the General Assembly because 198 member nations were there to decide whether the expulsion of PVF from FIVB was fair or not. Now, with the planned investigation, FIVB officials who will most probably go to Manila to investigate will number three at the most. The less number of people who will do the investigation and decide makes it possible for misjudgment to occur at a higher possibility.

What PVF must do now is to present new evidences that will once and for all kill LVPI. There are certainly several points that are available for PVF to focus on. I just hope PVF realizes all of them and cleverly knows how to present them in an orderly, detailed and convincing manner.

THANK YOU

Dear National Federation President,

I simply want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to present to you the truth about the case of the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF). I hope, in my own little way, I was able to enlighten you on what truly happened to volleyball in our part of the world.

I hope that with the arguments and evidences I have presented to you, you will come to a better understanding of the need not to expel PVF. I truly hope you vote according to your conscience, more than anything else. I am sure that your conscience, more than anything else, will help you make a fair and sound decision. 

In behalf of the millions of Filipinos who love volleyball and stand for justice, I thank you.

Yours,

Eric F. Dimzon

Sports Journalist

FINAL LETTER OF APPEAL TO FIVB MEMBERS

Dear National Federation President,

Greetings once again from the Philippines.

I initially wanted to answer Mr. Fabio Azevedo’s response to my first letter of appeal to you. But I do not want to burden you anymore with yet another long and tedious argument and to belabor the facts and issues involved. Instead, I wish to prove that Philippine Olympic President (POC) Jose Cojuangco Jr. did not tell the complete truth to FIVB. It is the only way to put a stop to, once and for all, all the arguments and justifications that FIVB is using in connection with its withdrawal of recognition from Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF).

In his letter to FIVB dated January 20, 2015, POC President Cojuangco stated that PVF “ has not served the best interest of Philippine volleyball for years “ as manifested by “ by being a non-participant in the Southeast Asian Games from 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013 and a great number of tournaments. “ As a result, PVF lost its status as a national federation with the POC. And the POC president endorsed Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) as the new national federation for volleyball prompting FIVB to recognize LVPI as the new national federation thereafter.

But I wish to call your attention to the attachments to this letter that contain the letters of intent and official line-ups of the PVF teams from 2007-2011 that were submitted to PSC by PVF precisely for the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG). The 12 pages of attachments are solid proof of PVF’S intention and desire to participate in SEAG from 2007-2011.  These attachments reveal that PVF was not remiss in its duty of forming national teams and discovering national athletes. Moreover, the attachments reveal that PVF ensured that the Philippines would be represented in SEAG. That PVF took the time and effort to prepare teams for the SEAG in all the years that the POC president mentioned. All these can hardly qualify as “ not serving the best interest of Philippine volleyball for years .” In 2013, PVF even intended to join the 17th Asian Women’s Senior Championship in Thailand as seen from one of the attachments.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the highest sports authority in the Philippines, likewise issued moments ago a certification that contains the following points :

1. That PVF was tasked to form national indoor and beach volleyball teams since 2007.

2. That PSC provided financial assistance to PVF for the 2007, 2009, 2011 editions of SEAG.

3. That the sole function/authority to send athletes/teams to IOC sanctioned events in the Philippines belongs to POC.

The certification was signed by PSC Executive Director Carlo E. Abarquez and is dated October 3, 2016. Kindly refer to one of the attachments for reference.

According to the POC Constitution Article III b,  it is POC that shall be the sole authority for the representation of the Philippines at the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games as well as other events held under the patronage of IOC and OCA and to undertake the organization of these Games when they are held in the Philippines. The term "representation" covers the decision to participate and the entry of athletes selected by their respective National Sports Association (NSA's). The PSC certification raises this point as well. Thus, the non-participation of PVF volleyball teams in SEAG is the work of POC itself. It is POC that refused to send the PVF teams to the SEAG. POC did not give PVF teams its approval to participate in SEAG despite their availability, willingness and readiness to participate. What is only being observed is the apparent non-participation of PVF teams without taking into account why there is non-participation. POC refused to send PVF teams to SEAG for reasons that only POC knows. The blame for the non-participation of PVF teams to SEAG must be put squarely on the shoulders of POC.

In view of these latest revelations, I fervently hope that you see the need not to expel PVF from FIVB and to allow PVF to have a hearing at the Judicial Panel. FIVB committed a serious mistake in completely believing the statement of Cojuangco and aggravated that mistake when it decided to use Cojuangco’s misleading statement as basis for action.

It is now up to you to correct that mistake by voting no to the expulsion of PVF from FIVB and allowing PVF to present its case in a proper forum. That is the only way that justice can be served to PVF and the Filipino people in general.

Thank you.

Yours,

Eric F. Dimzon

Sports Journalist