De Tagle denies robbery charges

Tito Perez de Tagle, deputy secretary general of the Basketball Association of the Philippines faction headed by Freddie Jalasco, yesterday vehemently denied the accusations of "robbery and forcible entry" hurled against him by the other BAP group a day after he tried to retake the BAP office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

De Tagle said he tried to retake the BAP office Sunday on the premise that Jalasco’s group is the one recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee and has the sole right to occupy the office.

De Tagle also denied the accusation by the group led by Quintellano "Tiny" Literal that he took away P100,000 in cash being kept in one of the drawers inside the BAP office. Literal said the amount represents a down payment made by Rexona, a major sponsor of the national men’s team’s scheduled tuneup games in the provinces.

"We did not take anything away from that office, particularly the money which Literal’s group claims to have been stolen. They can search my home for the money and maybe they won’t even find P10,000 in there because I don’t have that kind of money. We simply took over the office and placed the locks before leaving," De Tagle said.

"It is our office because it is the BAP office. Sino bang BAP ang nire-recognize ng POC? So, I don’t see anything wrong for us entering and trying to retake our office. Based on that knowledge, we tried to retake it," said De Tagle, who was with four referees from the Basketball Referees Commission when he tried to open the office.

"The fact is that we put the money there and now it’s gone. Nawala ang pera that’s why we are filing charges. Bahala na ang korte sa kanila and we'll not take this sitting down. It’s an act of treachery. Obviously, Freddie (Jalasco) directed him (De Tagle) to do this," said Literal.

After De Tagle and the four BARECOM referees left the BAP office Sunday afternoon with a message posted on its door saying "The BAP duly-accredited by the POC and recognized by the Philippine Sports Commission has taken over the BAP office," Literal’s group, including former BAP secretary general Graham Lim, arrived.

Literal’s group then took over the office, opening the locks installed by De Tagle before reportedly learning that the money they left inside was missing. As of yesterday afternoon, it was still Literal’s group occupying the BAP office with Tagle holding an impromptu press conference at the RMSC office of the POC. — With reports from Joey Villar