A reliable source said the PBA Commissioner’s Office is leaning towards reviewing Peña’s case earlier than expected with the San Miguel Beer management appealing the Fil-Am’s case.
Peña was to serve suspension up to February next year after twice failing a doping test — first before the 2003 season and second during a one-time mandatory test that netted five other alleged illegal drug users in Jun Limpot, Noli Locsin, Davonn Harp, Ryan Bernardo and Angelo David.
Limpot, Locsin, Harp and Bernardo are all back in action. David’s case is up for reevaluation soon.
Norman Gonzales is another player who has been reinstated recently. He’ll finally suit up again for Talk n Text as the Phone Pals play the Purefoods Hotdogs tonight at the Astrodome.
Sources said PBA commissioner Noli Eala is now thinking on reviewing the case of Peña with positive reports on all the programs the player has undertaken.
San Miguel team manager Robert Non earlier appealed Peña’s case to Eala.
Meanwhile, the Purefoods Hotdogs hoped for another player return — import Derrick Brown.
"Ang tagal na namin naghihintay. Akala namin dadating na Wednesday then ngayon (yesterday), pero wala pa rin. Now, I’ll only believe it if I see him in the airport," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.Brown is to replaceHarold Arceneaux.
Brown was Purefoods’s original choice but had to tap in Arceneaux with the former still deep in commitment with the And1 team, which is touring the US. The Hotdogs won the 2002 Governors Cup championship with Brown.
The Hotdogs will still have to make do with Arceneaux as they take on the Phone Pals at 7:30 p.m. at the resumption of the Samsung Reinforced Conference at the Astrodome tonight.
"It would take a lot of hardwork to beat Talk n Text," said Gregorio.
FedEx and Shell clash in the 5 p.m. curtain-raiser then Ginebra’s Jun Limpot and Red Bull Barako’s Davonn Harp square off in a one-on-one setto.
It’s finesse versus brute force with Limpot expected to use quickness and court savvy to offset Harp’s raw power.
Both are actually among the sentimental favorites in the one-on-one spectacle with the two having been reinstated only recently from suspension for drug-related case.