Court orders equestrian polls; Carissa elected president

MANILA, Philippines - Buhay Party List Rep. Ma. Carissa Coscolluela has been elected president of the Equestrian Association of the Philippines (EAP), in an development that could well end the leadership dispute in the association.

EAP’s election of the new set of officers and board of trustees was held yesterday at the Milky Way restaurant in Makati City as per order of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 66.

“In compliance with an order from the Regional Trial Court of Makati Branch 66, the Equestrian Association of the Philippines today (yesterday) conducted an election of trustees and officers for 2010 to 2014,” said Coscolluela through a text message.

The court order was penned by Makati RTC Judge Joselito Villarosa last March 24.

“The election was conducted in the presence of court observers,” she said.

The group also elected Juan Ramon Lanza as vice president, Jose Montilla as secretary-treasurer, Milagros Belofsky as secretary-general and Michael Gonzales, Toti de Leon and Marie Antoniette Leviste as board of directors.

Coscolluela claimed that incumbent EAP president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr. and his supporters attended the meeting and tried to vote against the court order.

But Coscolluela said the board eventually proceeded with the election and elected her as EAP’s new head.

“Mr. Cojuangco and his group attended the meeting and insisted that the order of the court be overruled and defied by a vote of the board,” said Coscolluela.

“However, the members voted to comply with the court order and pushed through with the election as ordered by the court,” she said.

Of the 27 members present, 22 voted for Coscolluela’s slate with five abstaining.

Cojuangco’s group declined to nominate any official. The STAR tried to get the POC head’s reactions but failed.

Coscolluela said the next step is for her group to seek recognition from the FEI or the International Equestrian Federation before they could proceed with their programs aimed at putting up a competitive team in the Guangzhou Asian Games in November.