FedEx must honor Hawkins pact

Bong Hawkins finally got what he wanted, but it might take an eternity to ever relish the millions he stands to get even without working up a sweat.

PBA commissioner Noli Eala yesterday ordered the FedEx management to honor the cager the remainder of the idle player’s four-year contract which the ballclub assumed from Tanduay last season.

"I have actually nothing to decide on in the first place since there was no appeal from FedEx on the case," said Eala.

Although FedEx didn’t make an appeal, a STAR source said the management is inclined to go after Tanduay for the controversial contracts of some players it acquired, including that of Hawkins’, after taking over the franchise last year.

Tanduay, the same source added, is ready to bring the case to the court and might put the money in escrow until after the case is resolved.

And that may take years to settle.

Meanwhile, there were reports that the Shell management is open to the possibility of tapping Hawkins into its fold although coach Perry Ronquillo is reported to have shown little or no interest at all in the former Perpetual Help ace player.

FedEx honored its obligation to Hawkins last year, giving the former Alaska cager a monthly pay of P350,000 or a total of P4.2 million even without playing a single game.

Hawkins insists he stands to receive P400,000 a month this year and next for a total of P9.6 million.

Hawkins and FedEx have been in a contract dispute stemming from the two different contracts the player entered into with Tanduay. The pact was subsequently absorbed by FedEx.

One contract stipulates Hawkins is tied up with the ballclub in a four-year period ending in 2004 while the other also involves a four-year deal but with a clause that states either party has the option to renegotiate after 2002.

Hawkins, of course, wants the first contract to be honored while FedEx insists on the other since the ballclub is no longer interested in his services.

In fact, FedEx had offered to buy out Hawkins’ contract after taking over the Tanduay franchise last year. The team decided to just put the player on the reserve list when team officials saw a problem with the contract. But the problem was the management didn’t know which contract to buy out.

Sonny Barrios, then the acting commissioner of the league, ruled that the one filed with the Commissioner’s Office should be honored. Incidentally, what is considered the player’s Uniform Player Contract (UPC) or the official PBA contract is the one stating Hawkins is tied up with the ballclub for four straight years.

Apparently, FedEx believes the other contract is binding that’s why it stopped paying Hawkins in the last pay date.