Senate probe on Fil-foreigners’ eligibility looms

A senate inquiry that would look into the eligibility of Fil-foreign players in the Philippine Basketball Association is reportedly being scheduled in the next few weeks.

This came about as a bloc of PBA cagers met the other night at the Edsa Shangri-La Plaza to push for the revival of the PBA players union following the influx of Fil-foreigners in the league and the reported reduction in salary cap being mulled by team owners.

A STAR source said a senator is set to make a privilege speech on the status of Fil-foreigners in the PBA and had in fact sent staff members to the players’ meeting for some fact-finding mission.

Apparently, the source said that the senator is not convinced all the PBA Fil-Ams have legal citizenship status despite certification from the Department of Justice.

"The senator wants to unearth anomalies and punish anybody who might be proven guilty of any wrongdoing insofar as this case is concerned. Kahit daw mga tao ng DOJ tatamaan, kapag napatunayan na may ginawang kalokohan," said The STAR source.

During the meeting, the players decided to fast-track the revival of the PBA players union by appointing captains and assistant captains of all the teams as members of its board. It will set another meeting to elect the chair.

Among those who attended the meeting were Alvin Patrimonio and Bonel Balingit (Purefoods), Jojo Lastimosa and Kenneth Duremdes (Alaska), Olsen Racela and Boybits Victoria (San Miguel), Vic Pablo and Mark Telan (Talk N Text), Marlou Aquino, Dennis Espino, Noynoy Falcasantos, Gerard Francisco and Richard del Rosario (Sta. Lucia ), Bal David (Ginebra), Vergel Meneses and Zaldy Realubit (FedEx), Poch Juinio (Coca-Cola), Benjie Paras and Gerry Esplana (Shell), Willie Miller (Red Bull) and free agents Bong Hawkins and Mar Morelos.

The players hope to put up a strong, working union that will make representations with the PBA board and the commissioner’s office on issues affecting the league.

They also want to look into the status of the players’ trust fund. They said that part of the league revenues in All-Star Games and fines imposed on players go to the trust fund to finance scholarships of players and their children, among others. But the players have no knowledge on its financial status.

"Alam namin yung ibang retired players naga-acquire ng scholarships for their children. Alam din namin si Fritz Gaston nag-acquire ng scholarship for a masteral degree. Pero ang hindi namin alam baka may iba na kaming napapag-aral," one player said.

On the imminent salary cap reduction, the players said they hoped to make representation with the board before it is enforced. There were also questions asked on players allegedly being used by the Commissioner’s Office to promote commercial products without compensation. — Nelson Beltran