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Another chapter of the seemingly endless struggle for outright leadership of the country’s beleaguered basketball governing body is set to be written.
This after BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) Executive Director Noli Eala said their group is asking for an explanation from Cebu schools which participated in the recent Asian University Basketball Championships (AUBC).
Eala, a member of the Manny V. Pangilinan side of the BAP-SBP, said that the University of the Visayas (UV) and the Southwestern University (SWU) have some explaining to do to the ethics committee of the organization. Also included were some officials of the Cebu Schools Athletic Federation Inc. (Cesafi).
“We will let them explain why they joined the tournament,” said Eala when he met with a select group of the Cebu media yesterday at the Grand Convention Center.
The AUBC was organized by the BAP-SBP group of Camarines Sur Representative Luis Villafuerte and Prospero Pichay. The other BAP-SBP faction is led by Pangilinan and Eala.
UV and SWU play for the Cesafi, which is one of the stakeholders of the Pangilinan-led BAP-SBP.
As a stakeholder, Cesafi teams will only participate in tournaments sanctioned by the Pangilinan-led BAP-SBP.
Controversy popped out when Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhuy accepted the commissionership of the AUBC. Because of this, Tiukinhoy is also expected to be invited to the committee.
When sought for his comment Tiukinhuy said: “Ask Eala first if their organization is legal before they invite us to the ethics committee.”
Lawyer Baldomero Estenzo, Cesafi's representative to the Pangilinan-led BAP-SBP board, said they are willing to explain their side.
“I will ask them what our violation is,” said Estenzo. “We joined because we didn't even know the rules. That's why I asked them to provide us documents such as articles of incorporation, their by-laws and minutes of meeting so we will know what the rules are.”
Estenzo said they have yet to receive any document from the Pangilinan-led BAP-SBP.
Estenzo also questioned why the Pangilinan-led BAP-SBP did not take action when UV and SWU played in the National Students Basketball Championship (NSBC) last March. The NSBC, which was won by SWU, was organized by the Pichay-led BAP-SBP.
“UV and SWU joined the AUBC because they were not penalized when they played in the NSBC,” Estenzo said.
Estenzo said that they are now studying as to what group the Cesafi will tie up with. That matter will be discussed when the Cesafi board holds a meeting on Wednesday, said Tiukinhuy.
The Pangilinan group will also be holding its much-awaited strategic planning session in Cebu on July 25 and 26 after it was postponed last week because of the unavailability of Pangilinan.
Among the things that will be discussed will be the issue regarding the name the group is currently carrying.
The Pangilinan-wing is currently carrying SBP since the BAP-SBP has already been registered with the Philippine Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Pichay CORRESPONDENTs CALVIN D. CORDOVA and Jonas Panerio
