Ban on refs mobile phone calls mulled

UAAP secretary-treasurer Herc Callanta of UP yesterday said the league is amenable to the idea of barring referees from using cellular phones during Season 71 games to remove suspicions of possible game-fixing activities.

But Callanta said they could only act until such time that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which first broached the idea, makes an official recommendation to the league board chaired by UP chancellor Sergio Cao.

“They haven’t made any formal suggestion and I think the president (Cao) has not received any but we can consider that,” said Callanta in yesterday’s board meeting at the Big Dome.

“And if they did make a recommendation to some board members, it wasn’t mentioned in the meeting,” he added.

Callanta said it would be up to commissioner Chito Narvasa to decide whether or not to accept the CIDG proposal.

“If they can make the suggestion, we will give it to the commissioner and see what he has to say,” he said.

The NCR and Quezon City CIDG, headed by Atty. Ericson Velasquez and Mitch Filart, respectively, have started fielding undercover agents in UAAP games to look deeper into reports that alleged game fixing is rampant in the league.

Callanta said the UAAP is okay with this.

“We’ve heard in the news that they have planted policemen in plainclothes, we have no problem with this as long as it would ensure safety of players and smoother conduct of games,” he said. – Joey Villar