Nothing wrong with MVP as head, chair

Officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee yesterday said that PLDT/Smart Communications chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan could hold dual position as chair and president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas in a meeting with newly-elected Basketball Association of the Philippines Jinggoy Estrada.

Estrada, who announced he would seek the position of president in the unity ticket of the BAP and Pilipinas Basketball, met with POC president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco and legal counsel Ding Tanjuatco after his election as BAP head.

POC spokesman Joey Romasanta said Estrada also inquired about other issues that have remained unresolved to-date in a cordial meeting at the Manila Peninsula Hotel.

The POC officials told Estrada that there are instances where a chairman and a president of an association may be one and the same and such set-up is recommended for a non-stock, non-profit organization under transitory phase.

"It was clear that the Senator was inadequately informed about the matter and that he was somehow enlightened after Mr. Cojuangco aired the POC side as far as Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the current state of the BAP are concerned," said Romasanta.

"Sen. Estrada had heard only one side of the story. The meeting with Mr. Cojuangco may have cleared up a lot of things regarding the SBP and the expulsion of the BAP from the POC," Romasanta added.

Romasanta said Estrada initially asked for BAP’s reinstatement as POC member but Cojuangco explained that everything has gone beyond the POC.

Meanwhile, Cojuangco denied in a radio interview claims by resigned BAP presidenet Joey Lina that he’s interfering with SBP’s decision to choose its officers.

"The only mistake I made was when I commented on the composition of members submitted by both organizations (BAP and Pilipinas Basketball) to the SBP. Ang sabi ko lang siguraduhin sana yung membership," said Cojuangco.

On Estrada’s request for the reopening of the BAP office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Cojuangco said: "If Jinggoy wants to have an office at Rizal, why not. But not the BAP." — Nelson Beltran