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Tolentino, Hontiveros win in POC special polls

Newly-elected POC president Bambol Tolentino, center right, chairman Stephen Hontiveros, center left, and board members Clint Aranas, left, and Cynthia Carrion, right, raise their hands together after being proclaimed as winners of the special POC elections. Ivan Saldajeno
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Bambol Tolentino will take over the presidency of the Philippine Olympic Committee, while Stephen Hontiveros has been named the new chairman following the special elections at the Century Park Hotel on Sunday.

Tolentino, the president of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines, prevailed over Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Juico in a close battle.

After all the 44 votes were read, Tolentino got 24, while Juico had 20.

However, Philippine Handball Federation president Hontiveros, Juico's running mate, defeated Tolentino's partner, Philippine Taekwondo Association president Robert Aventajado, for the chairmanship.

Hontiveros garnered 26 votes compared to Aventajado's 18.

Meanwhile, the two vacated posts in the POC executive board will also be split among Tolentino and Hontiveros' respective groups as Clint Aranas and Cynthia Carrion won the said positions.

Aranas, part of the Juico-Hontiveros ticket, was first with 24 votes, while Carrion, a member of Tolentino and Aventajado's team, placed second with 23.

Carrion's ally Monico Puentevella came in third with 21, while Aranas' teammate Lailani Velasco was in fourth with 19.

Hontiveros will fill in to complete Tolentino's term as chairman, while Tolentino will finish Ricky Vargas' term as president.

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