No end in sight on BAP-PBF row

The raging controversy between the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and the Philippine Basketball Federation (PBF) has slowly turned into an ugly battle of press releases.

Instead of looking for a common ground that would lead to the lifting of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) suspension on the Philippines, the two groups have started trading accusations through the media.

While under suspension, the Philippines cannot take part in FIBA events, including the SEA Games which the country is hosting in November. The Philippines is the perennial champion in the SEA Games.

The newly-formed PBF, under Moying Martelino, fired the first salvo last week when it came out with a press release saying the BAP, now under former Senator Joey Lina, had been delinquent in paying membership dues with the FIBA.

The release said it was FIBA president Carl Ching Menky himself who confirmed the BAP’s "undesirable standing" during a recent meeting with Martelino, athletics president Go Teng Kok and Philippine Olympic Committee spokesman Joey Romasanta.

The BAP, which was expelled from the POC last June, countered the other day, saying it has no standing obligation with FIBA and that it has even paid its membership dues until 2006. — Abac Cordero