Thursday, June 28, 2007 Stops four members from joining BAP-organized tournament in Danao City By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE iron hand of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) prevailed as four of its member schools pulled out of the Danao Mayor’s Cup set to open tomorrow at the Danao City Civic Center.
Southwestern University, University of San Carlos, University of San Jose Recoletos, Don Bosco College made the decision after the organizational meeting of the Cesafi members yesterday at the Waterfront.
“The schools decided to pull out because the Cesafi rules will not allow it (joining the tournament),” said Southwestern University athletic director Ryan Aznar.
This leaves the tournament with just two teams, the Salazar Colleges-Salazar Institute of Technology and Asian College of Technology.
Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy said the reason for not allowing the members to join the event is because it is organized by the Basketball Association of the Philippines, which Cesafi already considers as a ‘nonentity.’
However, BAP regional head Lorenzo “Chao” Sy asked Cesafi’s permission to allow the willing schools to join them.
Sy’s next step regarding the Danao tournament remains to be seen. Calls to Sy’s mobile were not returned and calls to his office were unanswered.
Tiukinhoy said they were also confused because Sy signed the invitation letter as BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas regional head.
Sy, a basketball patron, was appointed as BAP-7 head late last month.
“If he was appointed as such (BAP-SBP Regional head), we would have known through coach Elmer Cabahug, because Cesafi is a stakeholder of BAP-SBP.” Tiukinhoy said.
Tiukinhoy said the power to appoint only lies in the board of trustees, which Cesafi is a member of. Reports have it that BAP-SBP director Patrick Gregorio appointed Sy.
Not in bad faith
“It will be out of bounds for Gregorio to appoint someone. The authority to appoint is only with the board of trustees,” Tiukinhoy said.
Gregorio, however, said he has not formally appointed Sy yet, although they already have talks about the possibility of working together.
“Let us understand that it was not in bad faith that he did that (sign in as regional head). He is just someone who is really very willing to help out our cause,” said Gregorio, who admitted he could not appoint anyone as of yet. “I don’t even have a secretary or an office yet,” Gregorio said.
Gregorio is waiting when the organizational framework will be approved by the board before he could put people in it.
