Court stops caging, seals BAP offices

The Basketball Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BAPI), under Nic Jorge, has acquired a temporary restraining order preventing the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), under Quintelano Literal, from holding the Metro Manila eliminations of the 2004 National Inter-Collegiate/Inter-Secondary Basketball Championships.

The event was supposed to start yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Literal, through his secretary-general, Graham Lim, said they will abide by the court order but will conduct the tournament after the 72-hour effectivity of the TRO lapses.

In what is the strongest stance yet by the BAPI, the court also ruled to keep the BAP office locked and ordered its officials to refrain from misrepresenting themselves as NSA officials for basketball.

Associate Judge Enrico Lanzanas of Manila RTC Branch 7 also enjoined the BAP officials to refrain from using "the corporate name, symbol, equipment, supplies and office" provided for by the government at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

A security guard from the Philippine Sports Commission, armed with an M-16 rifle, is now manning the door to the BAP office.

Lim, however, said they will also file countercharges against the BAPI.

As it is, the BAP is the group being recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC), and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).