DLSU kakalas sa UAAP?

Magsampa ng kaso at kumalas sa University Athletics Association of the Philippines ang posib-leng hakbang na gagawin ng De La Salle University ngunit bago ang lahat ay kailangan muna nilang linawin ang lahat sa UAAP Board kung bakit nila sinuspindi ang Archers.

Hindi matanggap ng buong La Salle commu-nity ang naging desisyon ng UAAP Board na pag-bawalang makibahagi ang Archers ng isang buong taon sa anumang event sa UAAP dahil sa ‘negligence’ sa pagbebe-ripika ng mga Philippine Educational Placement Tests ng kanilang dala-wang players sa seniors basketball team.

"We deserve nothing less than a forthright clari-fication from the UAAP. We are more than willing to submit ourselves to the decision of a body that upholds justice, respects due process and values honesty and fairness. We have sent to the UAAP today a letter to seek clarification on these issues. We will deliberate on our options after we have recieved their res-ponse," ayon sa state-ment ng La Salle na binasa ni Bro. Armin Luistro FSC, President ng La Salle sa ginanap na press confe-rence sa North Conserva-tory Hall ng La Salle-Taft kahapon.

Ang paninindigan ng La Salle sa suspension na nag-ugat sa pekeng PEP Test nina Tim Gatchalian at Mark Benitiez na na-ging bahagi ng nagkam-peong men’s basketball team noong 2004, ay una -- hindi sila naging ‘negli-gent’ gaya ng dahilan ng UAAP Board kaya nila ipinataw ang one-year suspension, hindi sila nabigyan ng ‘due process’ at ikatlo ay hindi sila dapat sinuspindi.

"We’re not appealing to the UAAP Board. What we’re asking is some clarification. We don’t understand how they arrive at that judgment," pahayag ni DLSU System president Fr. Luistro. "La Salle expects nothing less but fairness from the board in dealing with the issue and commensurate penalty."

Iginiit ng pamunuan ng La Salle na hindi sila naging negligent dahil sila mismo ang nagbulgar kina Benitez at Gatchalian na gumamit ng pekeng PEP test.

"We forfeited the games we played the past two seasons. We re-quested a leave of ab-sence from men’s basket-ball for the forthcoming season. We addressed the gaps in our sports program. But the Board dismissed all these," ayon pa sa statement ng La Salle.