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THE
Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang
Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) that is recognized by
the sport’s world governing body will hold its first
general assembly and election of officers today at Dusit
Hotel in Makati City.
The
group, headed by tele-communications tycoon Manny
Pangilinan, will go on with the exercise under a threat
of a temporary restraining order (TRO) filed by the
group of former congressman Prospero Pichay and Rep.
Luis Villafuerte.
 In
a nine-page complaint filed in the Manila Regional Trial
Court (RTC), Christian Tan and Bonifacio Alentajan,
treasurer and legal counsel of the Pichay BAP-SBP,
respectively, filed an injunction with application for
TRO and preliminary injunction against Pangilinan,
Victorino “Ricky” Vargas and lawyer Marievic Añonuevo.
Pangilinan, who was nominated by the Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA) as its representative to
the BAP-SBP, is seeking a second term as president in
today’s congress.
Tan and
Alentajan said in the complaint that a national congress
has already been convened on June 4 at the Century Park
Hotel in Malate, Manila, with proper notice to all
members, and majority of the bona fide members of
BAP-SBP were reportedly in attendance.
But
Vargas, the BAP-SBP vice chairman, dismissed the Pichay
group’s move as an act of desperation.
“BAP
applying for a TRO is a disappointment to say the least,
an act of desperation of an organization no longer
recognized by the POC [Philippine Olympic Committee] and
Fiba [International Basketball Federation] out to
destroy basketball. There is no place for this [TRO] in
sports,” said Vargas.
The
BAP-SBP could go to the extent of invoking the Olympic
principle of autonomy of sports federations, both local
and international, which the International Olympic
Committee and the POC continuously campaign for. This
autonomy borders on nongovernment intervention in
matters affecting the POC and the national sports
associations.
The
BAP-SBP is also in possession of a Fiba letter dated May
13 that reiterated the international body’s recognition
of the Pangilinan group.
As the
threat of the TRO hangs in the air, a new set of
officers of BAP-SBP will be known today and reports have
it that former PBA commissioner Noli Eala is the prime
candidate to replace Patrick “Pato” Gregorio as
executive director.
Eala is
the president and CEO of Liga Pilipinas, a local
government-based nationwide basketball league.
Besides
the election of officers, BAP-SBP will formally
introduce the active, associate and affiliate members of
the federation based on the recommendation of its
membership committee headed by Ely Capacio.
The
25-man board of trustees of the BAP-SBP will also be
officially named. The board is led by PBA commissioner
Sonny Barrios and chairman Tony Chua, Pangilinan and
immediate past chairman Vargas from the professional
sector.
According to Barrios, Chua would not attend the election
and will be represented by vice chairman Joaqui Trillo.
(With TJ Agcaoili) |
