Puyat slams FIBA decision to hold election

Gonzalo "Lito" Puyat, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee-recognized Basketball Association of the Philippines, yesterday called the Fiba proceedings that sanctioned Tiny Literal as BAP head as "a Black Sunday for sportsmanship, sovereignty and justice."

Puyat, who vowed to defend the legitimacy of his group that also has business-tycoon Manny Pangilinan as chairman, also said he was saddened by the Fiba decision even as he slammed the body’s supposed closed-mindedness by not hearing their side despite the Court of Appeals decision nullifying Literal’s leadership.

"It (Fiba-ordered election) was predictable, we knew they have already closed their minds when they came here. I did not attend the proceedings because we felt my presence would have legitimized their action. It was a Black Sunday for sportsmanship, sovereignty and justice," Puyat said.

Puyat also decried lack of due process in the Fiba-ordered election that prompted his representative, Mauricio Martelino, to withdraw from the proceedings.

"It has become so redundant after we have given our reasons why the election should not push through. We were afraid the Fiba would no longer hear us, as it happened, although at first it said they will hear both sides first before making any decision. What happened was they decided to call for the election at once," Puyat said.

Puyat added: "We cannot surrender our sovereignty to the Fiba because the BAP issue should have been solved as an internal matter. The country’s second-highest court has spoken in our favor, President Arroyo has called on all parties to respect the rules of law, the POC has never wavered in recognizing us as the legitimate BAP because we never prostituted our organizational by-laws and the country’s constitution. And yet, here comes the Fiba giving its sanction to the group that was illegal right from the start."

The Fiba had proceeded with the election despite the withdrawal of the International Olympic Committee and the POC, which reiterated its recognition of Puyat as the rightful and legal BAP chief after the appellate court had annulled all elections that installed Literal as president of his faction.

In its letter to the Fiba, the POC said circumstances right after the Court of Appeals decision no longer warrant the calling for a new election since the existence of the other BAP faction was nullified by the Court of Appeals. The CA also recognized the POC’s jurisdiction in settling disputes among its member-National Sports Associations.

The Fiba suspended the Philippines because of the existence of two de-facto organizations. Its Asian satellite, the Asian Basketball Confederation, led by Carl Ching and one of the Fiba representatives to administer the election, also threatened to bolt of the Fiba if it would not recognize Literal as the BAP head.

Puyat’s group, however, still has the backing of the country’s major leagues, including the Philippine Basketball Association, Philippine Basketball League and the Metropolitan Basketball Association, which forged the "basketball superbody."