Why is Cito Dayrit excluded?

POC president Ricky Vargas recently designated former POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. as chairman of the committee to study possible amendments to the POC Constitution and By-Laws with another former POC president Cito Dayrit as member.

But in a memorandum issued by Boosie Apuan in Cojuangco’s behalf last Jan. 11, Dayrit was excluded from the invitation list for a committee meeting set at 3 this afternoon in the former Tarlac congressman’s residence in Dasmariñas Village. The memorandum listed Cojuangco of equestrian, POC board member Butch Pichay of chess, Atty. Al Agra of obstacle sports, Charlie Ho of handball/netball and POC auditor Jonne Go of canoe/kayak as committee members. There was no mention of Dayrit who could surely contribute to the discussions with his vast knowledge of the Olympic movement.

A source said Cojuangco isn’t in favor of imposing an age limit for POC members, blocking an impending amendment to the Constitution and By-Laws. In the IOC, the limit is 70 years unless the official was appointed between 1966 to 1999 in which case the limit is 80. The limit is extendable up to four years by the IOC Executive Board. Beyond four years, a member may be recognized on an honorary basis without voting rights. The same source said Cojuangco has plans of running for the POC presidency once more in 2020 when he’ll be 86. Cojuangco reportedly claimed he lost in the last POC elections because he didn’t campaign.

In 2016, Cojuangco won a fourth consecutive term as POC president unopposed when the other candidate Ricky Vargas was disqualified. But Vargas and another disqualified candidate Rep. Abraham Tolentino (for chairman) went to court to challenge their exclusion. The court upheld their contentions and ordered new elections for both positions. As it eventually turned out, Vargas beat Cojuangco, 24-15 and Tolentino outpolled Ting Ledesma of table tennis, 23-15 to usher in a new era of POC leadership.