She neither confirmed nor denied the reported Asi Taulava-Jun Limpot, but Mobiline team manager Debbie Tan admitted the Phone Pals are indeed interested in acquiring the services of the former Sta. Lucia Realtor.
"Yes, we are interested in (Jun) Limpot. We even approached the Sta. Lucia management before, but I will not comment on the trade," said Tan in reaction to newspaper reports yesterday that the Mobiline management had offered Taulava to Ginebra in exchange for Limpot.
The Gins acquired the rights on Limpot in a megabuck trade with Marlou Aquino last week.
But Limpot and Aquino were reportedly unhappy with the deal and have refused to sign up with their new ballclubs with the latter's whereabouts still unknown as of yesterday.
That might have prompted the Mobiline management to work for the Limpot-Taulava trade especially with the Fil-Tongan now facing deportation charges, along with six other Fil-foreign cagers, from the Bureau of Immigration.
But Tan insisted that it is primarily the Taulava case which the management had wanted to settle at this stage with barely a month before the country's premier league kicks off its 26th season.
"At this point, we want to make sure that Asi's papers are in order. This is the foremost thing in my mind and the minds of the coaching staff," added Tan.
Although Taulava has submitted all the proper documents to the BI, commissioner Rufus Rodriguez still ordered the Fil-Tongan to present her mother before the Immigration board. Tan said Mrs. Pauline Hernandez-Taulava is arriving from Los Angeles within this week.
Sources in the Ginebra camp told