Alvarado papers traced to PBA exec

The brewing controversy involving Fil-Am cagers in the PBA took a new twist yesterday as the Bureau of Immigration found discrepancies in Tanduay's Sonny Alvarado's papers with a PBA official's name surfacing in the BI's new findings.

BI commissioner Rufus Rodriguez ordered Wednesday the re-opening of the deportation case against Alvarado after a bureau task force reported that Alvarado submitted two alleged birth certificates of his mother Ana Marie dela Cruz.

One of the certificates was discovered assigned by the Manila Civil Registrar to PBA executive secretary Erlinda Vergara whom the BI named as Erlinda Celeste, her maiden name, born Sept. 5, 1946. The record was put under Register No. 2939 (i46).

The other was issued to one Danilo Alfonso, born Sept. 7, 1948. There was no official number issued to Alvarado's mother, according to the Manila City civil registrar Gloria C. Pagdilao.

There were reports that Alvarado filed his application papers for the PBA Rookie Draft in 1999, barely beating the deadline through the efforts of Vergara.

Up to this moment, Tanduay officials consider their pick of Alvarado in that draft a big steal as Alaska Milk passed up the chance on a trade with the Lucio Tan Group franchise. Alvarado made no mention of his stint with the University of Texas Long Horns in a tough US NCAA Division I conference in his papers although his credentials cropped up later.

The STAR tried to get in touch with Vergara in the PBA office but was told that she was on leave.

Rodriguez has summoned Alvarado to appear before the BI board of commissioners at 11 a.m. Monday to shed light on the authenticity of his mother's birth certificate.

The board earlier dismissed the deportation case against Alvarado last January, but Rodriguez said the latest findings necessitated the revival of the case.

Reacting to the new immigration case against his blue-chip player, Tanduay coach Alfrancis Chua said Wednesday night after the Rhum Masters defeated the Ginebra Gin Kings, 101-78, that he is confident the Tanduay management can answer the questions on Alvarado's papers.

Meanwhile, Asi Taulava voluntarily left the country yesterday, one day before the deadline of his deportation takes effect.

Taulava said he's going to visit his sisters in Los Angeles before proceeding to Tonga to find new evidence which could help prove his claim for Filipino citizenship.

He's still hopeful he can return and resume his playing career in the PBA. -