Troubles on Peping's turf, equestrian election pushed

MANILA, Philippines - The calls are mounting for the Equestrian Association of the Philippines (EAP) and its president, Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, to hold an election.

A total of 25 members of the EAP, led by Buhay Party List Rep. and Philippine team chef d’equipe Carissa Coscolluela and Olympian Toni Leviste, recently signed a petition for that purpose.

The group that includes two-time SEA Games gold medalist Jones Lanza and Federation Equestre Internationale-accredited instructor Violet de Leon represent more than half of EAP’s voting members.

In the petition submitted to the EAP last Tuesday, Coscolluela and company called for a special meeting for the purpose of holding an election, its first since 2006.

The failure to hold the elections last Tuesday is reason, under the EAP by-laws, for the board of trustees, the president or one-thirds of the general membership to call for a special meeting.

“We, the undersigned members of the Equestrian Association of the Philippines, Inc. (EAP), comprising one-third of its general membership, petition for a special meeting of the EAP within the next three weeks as provided under section 2 of the by-laws,” the signed petition said.

Mitos Belofsky, secretary-general of the EAP, has confirmed receipt of the petition aimed at calling for an election where Coscolluela will challenge Cojuangco, also the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

The EAP, through one of its directors, Vittorio Barba, last March 16 called for an election on March 31 at Cojuangco’s residence in Dasmariñas, Makati.

But Coscolluela raised an issue on the venue, saying it was “inappropriate and unethical” to hold the elections at Cojuangco’s residence, considering that the former Tarlac congressman is a candidate.

Cojuangco, however, replied by saying that after consultation with his lawyers and a review of the EAP by-laws an election was not due until 2012.

“Our lawyer advised us that our by-laws do not call for an election at this time. Two other lawyers when consulted also had the same view,” said Cojuangco, recently elected to a new four-year term as POC chief.

“All we are asking for is adherence to our by-laws – that we hold the scheduled election. March 31 has passed with the EAP leadership’s failure to comply, and so we now resort to means provided for in our own rules. Through this petition, we have spoken, and we hope that we will be heard and that the respect due to us as legitimate members of the EAP and stakeholders in this sport be given,” Coscolluela said.

Coscolluela said they’ve heard of reports that the leadership is going to attempt to invalidate the memberships of some voting members by claiming that their memberships have not been approved or accepted.

“It would be highly suspect if the EAP institutes this policy now when there is a clamor for an election, since such policy does not exist. It was never crafted, discussed, made into policy, implemented, or even heard of before,” said De Leon. – Abac Cordero