BAP head’s ouster looms

A showdown for the leadership of the Basketball Association of the Philippines loomed as sympathetic members of the BAP executive board threw their support behind "resigned" secretary general Graham Lim and reportedly demanded snap elections to replace BAP president Freddie Jalasco.

There were reports that members of the executive board met in an emergency meeting yesterday to declare all positions vacant and announce the holding of snap elections on Friday at the Club Filipino in Greenhills.

The issue centered on Lim, whose "resignation" was questioned by the executive board.

Lim told the Philippine STAR he would not comment on the issue and left it up to the board to decide whether he should go or stay.

"I’ve to give it to the board (to decide on my status). In the meantime, I don’t have a comment," said Lim when interviewed over the phone.

Lim, however, said the board is likely to come out with a decision on his appointment today and it will likely make an announcement on whether it will go on with the schduled snap electtions or not.

The move followed reports that Lim was forced to resign after efforts to patch up his differences with Jalasco failed.

The conflict between Jalasco and Lim started when the latter campaigned for athletics’ Go Teng Kok for the presidency of the recent Phlippine Olympic Committee last month.

Jalasco ran for the executive board, garnering the highest number of votes (26) under the banner of presidential candidate Celso Dayrit, who won over Go, 22-11.

Earlier, BAP chairman Lito Puyat was tapped to run for president and was to be endorsed by Go. Go himself later ran for president when Puyat withdrew.

Lim was seen as an "indsipensable" official of the BAP because he is instrumental in soliciting funds from the Chinese community for national athletes’ stints abroad as well as for BAP’s local tournaments. 

Jalasco said he met with Lim Saturday to thresh out their differences.

"We couldn’t solve our (common) problem, and I accepted his resignation," said Jalasco.

He added that Lim had long filed his resignation letter and he needed only to confirm it last Saturday. He said that since the position of secretary general is appointive in nature, Lim’s appointment or the termination of his services is at the pleasure of the BAP president.

In a separate interview, Jalasco said he was informed of a meeting by the executive board but questioned the legality of the move.

"Who gave them the authority to call a meeting? Only the president or the chairman can call a meeting, so what they’ve done is illegal," Jalasco told the STAR in a separate phone call.

Jalasco said the move by the executive board violates the Constitution and By-laws of the BAP since he was also not informed formally of any meeting.

However, Jalasco said he will call a meeting of the same board, which reportedly sought a snap election, to get a formal clarification on the report.

"But I think ‘as soon as possible’ would mean after the Christimas Holidays because many of us may not be available for the meeting," said Jalasco.

The BAP has 12 members on its board. They inlcude the three vice presidents -- for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao -- secretary general, treasurer, auditor and legal counsel.

Jalasco said he had appointed assistant secretary general Tito Perez de Tagle as officer-in-charge.

"Graham and I are good friends. It’s just a job," said Jalasco.