PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas is set to meet the POC board in an executive session today to clarify issues hounding the country’s hosting of the Southeast Asian Games later this year.
Heeding the call of the International Olympic Committee to settle once and for all issues raised by the local council, Mr. Vargas will meet board members in an executive meeting at the Philsports compound in Pasig City.
Expected to face the POC president are questions pertaining to his role in the Phisgoc Foundation, Inc., the group that now claims to be on top of preparations for the 30th SEA Games in the country from Nov. 30 to 10 Dec. 10, despite the absence of a POC Board approval.
The board members raised a howl, saying that what they approved was not the foundation but just the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (or simply Phisgoc), with former Foreign Affairs Secretary and now Taguig Congressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano as its chairman, with Mr. Vargas and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez as co-vice chairmen.
The POC board went on to say that the original Phisgoc now seems inactive with the Phisgoc Foundation, incorporated by Mr. Vargas with Ramon Suzara, Donald Caringal, Tom Carrasco, Ed Picson, Dexter Estacio and Monica Ann Mitra, now leading the preparations.
Mr. Vargas is also expected to be questioned about his deal with an apparel company seeking to become the official supplier of Team Philippines in the biennial meet.
The POC board said the scheduled meeting is to set the record straight and not part of a “power grab” as claimed, members said, by Mr. Vargas.
Mr. Vargas took over from Jose Cojuangco Jr. as POC president last year. Mr. Cojuangco was president of the committee for 13 years prior to the change. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
