Cojuangco nixes dual role at POC, PSC helm

MANILA, Philippines - Jose “Peping” Cojuangco would rather focus on his duties with the Philippine Olympic Committee than play the dual role of POC chief and officer-in-charge of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Cojuangco said it’s not logical for him to take control of the PSC even on a temporary basis in case Noynoy Aquino, the incoming President of the Republic, fails to institute changes within the PSC soon.

“I don’t think that’s possible because the PSC is the government and the POC is with the private sector. There will be a conflict of interest,” the 75-year-old Cojuangco told DZSR Sports Radio yesterday.

“It may be construed as government intervention if I accept a government position (even on a temporary basis) and be head of the POC. It will also be a violation of the Olympic Charter,” he continued.

The current PSC board, including chairman Harry Angping and commissioners Akiko Thomson, Jose Mundo, Erik Loretizo and Fr. Vic Uy, are expected to step down once Aquino is sworn in on June 30.

The 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou is just six months away, and if the new President takes time to name the new PSC board, there have been suggestions for Cojuangco to run the PSC until after the Games.

Mark Joseph, POC deputy secretary-general and head of the RP aquatic, said there should be enough time for Aquino, who happens to be Cojuangco’s nephew, to name the new PSC board heading to the Asian Games.

Names, including Joseph’s, have cropped up as possible replacements for Angping, even if three of them have said they don’t have any intention of landing the job as head of the government’s funding arm in sports.

Jose Romasanta, former chief of Project Gintong Alay and now POC spokesperson, is one of the favorites, but he said yesterday he’d rather have his name stricken from the list of candidates.

“I really don’t know how to describe it – how people have put so much confidence in me. But at the same time I’d like to say that it’s too early. Our next President hasn’t even been proclaimed. So, all these are purely speculative in nature,” he said.

“In the sports comnunity, we will never fall short of people qualified for the post. Pero hindi po ako mapupunta diyan. Maliwanag po ‘yan (But I won’t end up there. And that is clear),” said Romasanta, short of saying he’s not interested in the top PSC post.

Philip Ella Juico, PSC chairman from 1996 to 1998 and still among the present candidates, said he’s not after his old post as well.

“I want to help Philippine sports, but outside the PSC. It can be done from outside the PSC,” said Juico, also the former Agrarian Reform secretary under the Cory Aquino administration and current dean of the De La Salle Graduate School of Business.

Another candidate, POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros, who used to head the RP bowling association, didn’t sound too hot on being PSC chairman, saying, “Even if I feel I’m qualified for the position, I think I’m more needed at the POC, than the PSC.”