Senate has the goods on ‘Fil-Ams’

After exerting so much time, effort and resources as well, the Senate committee on games, amusements and sports has finally presented evidence, backed up by both oral and written certifications that could eventually help pin down a number of fake Fil-foreign players in the PBA.

"There is already a finding that some documents are fake and that some of these players were lying," said Sen. Robert Barbers, the committee chairman, after yesterday’s crucial hearing that lasted more than two hours.

Sharing the hot seat along with justice, immigration and foreign affairs officials were cagers John Ordonio of Alaska, Rudy Hatfield of Coca-Cola, Dorian Peña of San Miguel and the Seigle brothers — Andy of Purefoods and Danny of SMB.

Ordonio claimed that his grandfather, Mauro Estrada Ordonio, was originally from San Nicolas, La Union, but couldn’t tell why no records of his birth, baptism or death could be found at the civil registry office which claims to have its archives safe and intact from way back 1913.

Barbers’ staff also went as far as Sta. Lucia in Ilocos Sur where Ordonio’s grandmother Felicitas and mother Corazon allegedly hailed. They conducted a house-to-house inquiry involving close to a thousand residents but got the same negative response.

"They can’t find any of their records and that not one among the 1,000 residents questioned in front of barangay officials knew Felicitas or Corazon," said Barbers, whose staff also stumbles upon a certain Dr. Ordono (note the difference in spelling) in Ilocos Sur.

"Parang pulis magtrabaho ang mga tao ko. But again, this Dr. Ordono, still sharp and wity despite his age, even made a family tree and the result was the same—negative. Palagay ko matibay na kami dito kahit saan makarating," Barbers pointed out.

"What I know is that my grandfather was born in La Union and that he was still a Filipino citizen at the time my mother was born," Ordonio told Barbers.

"So, what’s the problem? I don’t need 15 documents to prove that I’m Filipino. I came here on my own and didn’t bring a lawyer because I know I can prove that I’m Filipino," the cager added.

Barbers, the former police officer, then turned to immigration officials, saying he was puzzled why they had approved of Ordonio’s certificate of recognition when the senator believes that the documents they have on hand are legitimate and true, contrary to those submitted by the player.

"Some (government agencies) are lax, but not all of them. Some are negligent kaya madami kaming basis in issuing a very strong recommendation that action be taken against those who violate our laws," Barbers added.

It was the same case with Peña who claims that his grandfather, who allegedly died in 1989, was from Escalante, Negros Occidental, but with no records at all with the civil registry.

Hatfield said his grandfather, Don Valdez, was also from La Union although no one from that province knew the latter. The committee also failed to acquire any record proving that Hatfield’s grandmother, Lolita Advincula, was from Palo, Leyte.

Then Hatfield seemed to have signed his own deportation papers when he said his mother was born in Georgia. Asked by Sen. John Osmeña if he heard it correctly that his mother was born in the United States, Hatfield said yes.

"Then she is an American of birth. So this settles the issue (on Hatfield). We shouldn’t have to go through all of these," Osmeña said.

The hearing lasted so much longer than expected that some of the players and team officials have started to feel uneasy, either yawning or dozing off on their chairs at the cold Claro M. Recto room of the Senate Bldg.

Due to lack of material time, however, Barbers called for a seventh hearing, which he is hoping to be the last, before his committee draws up a final recommendation for the group of local players to stand on as they prepare to file cases against the Fil-foreigners in question.

"Our recommendations will be very strict and very strong. But we are reserving our actions after the last hearing," added Barbers.

Five of the 22 Fil-foreign players under investigation failed to show up and were ordered subpoenaed by Barbers for the next hearing set early next month. They are John Arigo and Ali Peek of Alaska, Davonn Harp and Mick Pennisi of Red Bull and the controversial Asi Taulava of Talk N Text.

"Yun ang matagal nilang ginagawa at ginagapang that’s why it took so much time. Inisa-isa pa nila ang mga towns. But it will have to be us who will file the cases. If we think it will weed out the fake Fil-Ams, gagawin namin," said Jojo Lastimosa.

"But we could have saved a lot of time and taxpayers’ money, and avoided so much embarrassment kung ginagawa lang natin ang trabaho natin. Grabe ang ginawa ng Senate dito while some agencies are neglecting a lot of things in signing and passing recommendations without investigating. Kaya may mga kasong ganito," he added.