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POC POLLS

Peping’s camp confident even without GTK support

By Julius Manicad

09/08/2008

With or without Go Teng Kok, the show must go on.

Tom Carrasco, a trusted ally of Celso Dayrit, yesterday came up with that retort, confident that they will clinch the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) leadership even without the support of the fickle-minded sports leader.

“We’re ready for anything,” Carrasco said. “Whether he supports us or not, we’ll still continue whatever plans we have for the POC elections.”

Go, the controversial athletics chief who continues to style himself as kingmaker, had been perceived he will throw his support to Dayrit in the forthcoming POC elections following a series of wheeling and dealing.

But in a stunning turn of events, he decided to shift his loyalty to incumbent POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, leaving the Dayrit coalition scrambling for support.

Go claims to have at least eight to 11 supporters, a significant number considering that a candidate may need only 21 votes to clinch the POC presidency. He left for Laos yesterday and is expected to arrive on Wednesday.

POC spokesman Joey Romasanta said Go is not asking for any position, and that he just wanted to continue whatever program Cojuangco has started.

Go’s group, on the other hand, stands to get at least three to four positions in Dayrit’s executive council, including his retention as sports and rules committee chairman. The deal is reportedly “almost done” with a confidante, Harry Angping, acting as the broker.

“In fairness to him, he was not asking for any position from us,” Romasanta said. “Our group is not personality-based. Anybody is welcome to join in our group so long as he or she supports our projects.”

POC chairman Robert Aventajado and Monico Puentevella are also expected to join in what would become a four-cornered fight for the POC presidency. A source said both are still being convinced by Dayrit and Cojuangco to join their respective tickets, arranging a one-on-one showdown between the two former POC leaders.

“I don’t think anyone of them will back off,” Carrasco said. “We’re just preparing for the worst.”