'Nothing wrong with scalping'

Tickets to today’s Game Two of the UAAP finals between Ateneo and La Salle have been sold out since last Monday, and chances of finding one are slim and none.

But again, that’s unless you’re willing to pay more.

Patron tickets with a face value of P350 each are being sold on eBay for as high as P13,000, and around the venue they might go for a little less if you bump into some scalpers.

Authorities have been on the lookout for scalpers, and in last Sunday’s Game One they caught a handful persons caught selling tickets for a much higher price.

But what’s wrong with scalping?

“None. There’s nothing wrong with it,” said Filomeno “Boy” Codiñera, the great baseball player who had a very distinguished career as a Manila policeman. He is now retired.

“As long as these tickets are not stolen, these people have the right to sell them. It’s the simple law of supply and demand. As long as there are buyers, there will be sellers,” he said.

Codiñera, who also served as commissioner of the NCAA two years ago, said a holder of a “clean and genuine” ticket has the right to do whatever he wants to do with it.

“He can use it, give it away, throw it away or sell it. It’s his ticket. If he suddenly decides against watching the game or he wanted to get his money back and make some profit, he can sell it,” said Codiñera.

“I don’t see the police prosecuting any of these scalpers they’ve caught. If only I was a lawyer, I can defend these persons and even get back at those who apprehended them,” he added.

“As long as they don’t sell their tickets in the middle of the streets, because they can be charged with obstruction of traffic. If you check the dictionary, scalping simply means the selling of merchandise at a higher price.”   – Abac Cordero