PBA postpones Game 4

The PBA All-Filipino Cup grounded to a halt yesterday as Tanduay took a court ruling extending its Temporary Restraining Order, forcing PBA commissioner Jun Bernardino to postpone Game 4 of the best-of-five semifinals playoff between the team and Purefoods last night at the PhilSports Arena.

The PBA Commissioner's Office received late Thursday night an extended TRO from the Makati Regional Trial Court, stopping it from enforcing its ruling - forfeiture of the two Tanduay victories where it fielded Earl Sonny Alvarado.

Bernardino said they are abiding by the court decision, postponing the scheduled games last night and the one tomorrow, but vowed to exhaust all means to resolve the case and save the tournament.

"Your PBA will abide by the court decision and we have accordingly cancelled the scheduled games of May 26 and 28. However, we will continue to exhaust all means within the legal system to allow us to resume the ongoing conference at the soonest possible time," said Bernardino.

League insiders said Bernardino is inclined to seek an injunction order from the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court to nullify the TRO granted to Tanduay and go on with the resumption of the Tanduay-Purefoods series.

This developed even as the board of governors showed its complete support to the Commissioner's Office during an emergency executive session requested by Tanduay management yesterday afternoon, upholding the May 17 ruling that forfeited Games 2 and 3 of the series won by the Rhum Masters.

In the meeting, Tanduay, through team manager David de Joya, reportedly sought a compromise to break the impasse, offering to withdraw the TRO provided the board voided the results of Game 2 and 3, thus giving the Rhum Masters a 1-0 lead over the Hotdogs.

However, the board backed Bernardino's decision, urging Tanduay to play the series starting with Game Four.

Earlier in the day, legal counsels of Basic Holdings urged the Commssioner's Office that the Rhum Masters be immediately notified of the "schedule of the finals."

"By insisting to hold semifinal games between Tanduay and Purefoods, you are pointedly defying the court TRO. We reiterate our request to be immediately notified of the schedule of the finals," said lawyer Jaime Nagrampa.

In the absence of the extended TRO, the Commissioner's Office had scheduled the resumption of Game Four of the Tanduay-Purefoods series. The PBA received the extended TRO which would last for 17 days only at 7:20 p.m. Thursday. -