The next PBA commissioner will come from the final short list of candidates composed of Atty. Chito Salud, marketing man Lambert Ramos, SBP executive director Patrick Gregorio and coach Chot Reyes.
League officer-in-charge Sonny Barrios announced this yesterday, saying Bert Manlapit declined his nomination while Salud, Ramos, Gregorio and Reyes confirmed their acceptance.
Reyes made it to the list shortly before the deadline for submission of nomination yesterday.
Barrios said they would now ask for the resumes of the four candidates to be submitted to the selection committee headed by league board chairman Tony Chua.
“The PBA commissionership requires full-time job. With their acceptance of their nomination, I presume the candidates, if chosen, are ready to relinquish their current engagement,” said Barrios.
Salud is already working with the PBA as Barrios’ legal consultant. Ramos is currently vice-chairman of Nextel, Gregorio runs the daily affairs of the national basketball federation while Reyes is on sabbatical from coaching after failing to achieve their goal in the recent Tokushima Olympic qualifier.
With only four nominated for the job, the selection process could well be shortened from its original timetable.
Based on the original timetable set by the committee, the league’s seventh commissioner will be named not later than Jan. 31 next year. – Nelson Beltran