FEI asked to send rep to EAP polls

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco yesterday called on the Federation Equestre Internationale to send a representative to the country to ensure that the elections soon to be conducted by the Equestrian Association of the Philippines would be fair and square.

Cojuangco served as EAP president from 2000 until early this year when Party List Representative Carissa Coscolluela, a former member of the RP team, was elected new president. But Cojuangco contested the results of the election, and sought the interference of the world governing body in the sport.

The FEI headed by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein the other day stepped in, saying it is recognizing neither Coscolluela nor Cojuangco as EAP president, and therefore the leadership dispute should be settled once and for all through another election.

“I have asked Mr. Frank Elizalde (International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines) to ask Princess Haya to send one of her people to come to the Philippines to supervise the EAP elections,” said Cojuangco.

“So that there will be no reason to protest the conduct and result,” added the former Tarlac congressman, who also questioned Coscolluela’s right to set the terms for the new elections, and called for Aug. 13 as the date.

Cojuangco said he remains EAP president, being recognized by the POC, and therefore he should be the one “to take the lead” in the elections. He offered no date yet, but said it will be held “soon” so the leadership issue that has hounded the sport for months now will finally be settled.

Coscolluela said she has the right to call for the election, being the president of the new group, and corporate secretary of the old one. But Cojuangco’s camp insisted that the right to call for an election belongs to the president, who will only instruct the corporate secretary to get it done.

“Up to now, the POC recognizes me as the (EAP) president. So I should take the lead,” said Cojuangco, who, nonetheless, welcomed the idea as probably the final step that could put the leadership dispute in the association to rest.

“The FEI is not dictating on us here. It’s just that these people have been looking for a solution, and if to them an election is the only solution then we must follow it,” said Cojuangco.

“I wholeheartedly welcome this opportunity to finally settle the dispute so that we can once and for all have closure on this matter. I look forward to an election and will abide by its outcome for as long as it is conducted fairly,” said Coscolluela..