Judge orders new election be held in February

MANILA, Philippines – The results of the elections of the Philippine Olympic Committee held November 2016, which saw former congressman Jose "Peping" Cojuangco win a fourth term, have been declared null and void by a Pasig City court.

The camp of Ricky Vargas, president of the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) who was disqualified from running as POC president, said in a statement that the court's decision means that Vargas' group has "obtained justice."

"I am much relieved by the court decision. We fought on principle and now the NSAs (national sports associations) are given the opportunity to choose," Vargas said.

"This decision now opens up the democratic process. A patently wrong and discriminatory position has been corrected. The reforms have begun."

Judge Maria Gracia Cadiz-Casaclang of Pasig RTC Branch 155 nullified the elections for the posts of chairman and president, and ordered a new election to be held on February 23, 2018.

Vargas, as well as Abraham Tolentino who was disqualified from running as POC chairman, will now be allowed to run in the February elections.

Tolentino is the country's cycling chief and president of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines.

Vargas was disqualified from running in October 2016, as the POC election committee said he was "inactive" in the organization's assemblies. Apparently, Vargas only attended one general assembly in two years.

The camp of Vargas questioned the decision, but they were not granted a temporary restraining order that could have blocked the elections from happening.

Thus, Cojuangco ran unopposed and secured a fourth straight term as POC president in November 2016.

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