UAAP pressed to expand probe on DLSU case

The UAAP might be forced to verify and check all the La Salle cagers’ papers the last 10 years following reports that the school fielded in two more ineligible players, outside of the one currently under investigation, in their past campaign in the league.

Ricky Palou, the league’s technical committee chair and Ateneo board representative, hinted at this scenario after sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that two more players outside the one La Salle is currently investigating have eligibility problems.

"If these allegations are true, maybe we should go back and check all the papers in the last 10 years," Palou said yesterday. "But to be fair, it should not only be La Salle, but all the teams should be investigated."

Far Eastern University senior board member Anton Montinola, however, doubted if the move would prosper since it would take a lot of time, effort and money for the UAAP board to conduct such extensive inquiry.

"That’s hard," said Montinola. "We shouldn’t over-react, we should first wait for La Salle to finish its investigation before we act on anything."

La Salle has formed a committee to probe its senior basketball player — widely believed to be Mark Benitez — if he’s culpable of faking his Philippine Educational Placement Test Certificate of Rating (PEPTCR) from the Department of Education (DepEd). The PEPTCR is acceptable as a document for admission to college in the absence of a high school diploma.

La Salle executive vice-president Dr. Carmelita Quebengco heads the four-man group, which includes Lito Tanjuatco, a member of the Taft-based school’s board of trustees and board of regents.

As this developed, there are unconfirmed reports that if the player under investigation is declared guilty, the player’s parents will come out in the open and deny on national television that they fabricated the PEPTCR and, if ever it’s faked, they had no knowledge of it.

Benitez’s parents have reportedly promised to cooperate with the giant television network should they decide to challenge the result of La Salle’s investigation.

Another source, who also asked not to be identified, alleged that there are two more who may have played for La Salle with spurious documents the past seasons.

"If this is true, mabigat ito," said the same source.

The first cager in question played last season but didn’t make the team this year while the other one is said to be a player who played significant minutes in La Salle’s past campaigns. Incidentally, both players also took their PEPTCR in Jose Rizal University like Benitez.

However, Quebengco and Tanjuatco denied this, stressing they are only investigating one player.

La Salle coach Franz Pumaren is expected to hold a meeting with his players today to discuss the Archers’ campaign next season.