POC chief Cojuangco’s NSA faces leadership dispute

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco Jr. bid of ending leadership disputes in several National Sports Associations (NSAs) will be severely tested. Cojuangco – and has touched election-related problems in cycling, badminton, basketball, wrestling, wushu and bowling – himself is facing a similar problem with the Equestrian Association of the Philippines (EAP). Cojuangco, who is EAP’s president, will have to find a solution to resolve a similar problem with his own NSA after Buhay party-list Representative Ma, Carissa O. Coscolluela plans to challenge his plan of postponing the elections. In his Thursday’s POC On Air radio program, Cojuangco said amendments made on EAP’s Constitution and By-Laws unanimously approved in 2007, dictates against the holding of an election this year. The EAP election was originally scheduled on March 31 at Cojuangco’s house in Dasmariñas Village in Makati City. Coscolluela said she is determined to contest Cojuangco’s plan to a different level including courting the help of “outside forces", should this month’s scheduled general meeting and election not push through. The EAP board, however, decided to amend their Constitution and By-Laws because the group changed its name from the old Philippine Equestrian Federation (PEF) to the Equestrian Association of the Philippines. “One of the amended rules was the term of office which was changed to a four-year term from a one-year term. Lawyers who help us craft our Constitution advised us that we will be breaking our own rules if we set an election this March," explained Cojuangco. Coscolluela admitted that there indeed amendments but these should take effect only after a new set of officers are elected otherwise a president could not be remove forever because he will simply call for amendments to keep himself in office. “Besides, there was no amendment made on the change of the date of the election so we have to hold the election this March," said Coscolluela, who was elected as one of seven board members in the last election held three years ago. Coscolluela has already filed a protest with EAP’s board on the planned holding of election at Cojuangco’s place and has asked that the activity be held in a neutral venue. She added that she has already heard that the planned election has been shelved but is still waiting for the official notice of its cancellation. “There are other ways to resolve this problem like asking the members to call for a special meeting or bringing this problem with the SEC. But we are a small family in equestrian and I hope that we can resolve this by ourselves." “The right thing to do is to hold this election and let the members speak on whom they want to elect as their leaders. If he really believes he has majority believing in his leadership, he should not be afraid in this election," Coscolluela said. – GMANews.TV