Macapagal, sec-gen quit PNSA posts

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) president Art Macapagal yesterday stepped down from the post he has held for over 10 years, virtually creating a vacuum on the opposition bloc in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

Macapagal, who lost a close election (19-21) to incumbent POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco in the 2008 POC polls, tendered his resignation as PNSA boss along with his secretary general Nicetas Katigbak.

“I just feel tired and I feel it’s time to give the opportunities to others to lead the PNSA,” said Macapagal, who still has two years left in his current term, actually his third consecutive and fourth overall term.

The former champion shooter and Olympic veteran, however, will remain a member of the PNSA board, which now has to hold an immediate election to fill up the two seats left by Macapagal and Katigbak.

“I’ll want to continue to help the association though not as president but as member of the board,” he said, adding he will also continue to sit as chief of the Philippine Olympians Association, an aggrupation of Filipino Olympic veterans.

Macapagal was first elected PNSA president in the late 1980s where he served one term. He was installed to the position again in 2000, got reelected in 2004 and again in 2008.

He challenged Cojuangco for the POC presidency in 2008 but lost by two votes.