Puentevella to join POC derby

BACOLOD – A multi-cornered race for the Philippine Olympic Committee presidency loomed yesterday as Rep. Monico Puentevella signifiedhis interest in running for the post currently held by former Rep. Peping Cojuangco.

Puentevella, the Weightlifting Association of the Philippines president and current POC first vice president, is a known ally of Cojuangco. He said he would talk to Cojuangco about the matter after the Beijing Olympics in August.

Taekwondo’s Robert Aventajado and fencing’s Cito Dayrit were the first to declare their plans to run for the post in the POC elections in December.

Cojuangco has yet to make an official announcement on his re-election bid.

“It’s me or Cong. Peping in our group. We’ll discuss things after the Olympics,” said Puentevella, serving a third term as Bacolod representative in Congress.

Puentevella believes either he or the current president has the numbers to win the election.

“Cito has his group and so does Aventajado but I don’t think they can muster enough numbers to win the presidency. Aventajado might be thinking he would win because of the NSAs participating in the Philippine Olympic Festival. It doesn’t automatically translate into votes,” said Puentevella.

Aventajado, the current POC chairman, is the prime mover of the Philippine Olympic Festival.

Puentevella doesn’t discount the possibility of a four-cornered fight among him, Cojuangco, Dayrit and Aventajado.– Nelson Beltran