Tuesday, May 06, 2008 GAB threatens promoters, players with suspensions
THE Games and Amusement Board (GAB) will go after those promoters and players who will conduct or join qualifiers and tournament without the permission or supervision from the office.
In a statement issued Friday, GAB chairman Eric Buhain said that promoters and players who will stage or join qualifiers and tournament not licensed nor supervised by the agency will be immediately suspended.
Also, GAB issued a memorandum asking those who are holding events, including the international billiards community, where a professional Filipino pool player is invited, to inform their office of such.
The Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) hailed GAB’s decision to put its foot down on the promoters and players who are bypassing the government regulatory agency for professional in conducting their business.
BMPAP president Atty. Vic Rodriguez said that the move is a welcome development since it is in line with what the association has been fighting for—to put Philippine billiards in proper order.
“It’s a good thing that GAB is exercising its authority, and we are supporting them in this,” said Rodriguez. “After all this is what we’ve been fighting for since we put up BMPAP,” he said.
“During our meeting last Friday, Chairman Buhain was informed that there are several tournaments being conducted by a certain group which doesn’t have GAB supervision, and he said that those who are involved in it, including that players will be immediately suspended,” said Bugsy Promotions head Perry Mariano.
“We also told GAB of the apparent move of (BSCP president Ernesto) Fajardo to keep Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante out of the four slots that was allotted for the Qatar International 9-Ball Championship next month, despite its organizers’ preference of the two,” added Mariano.
“To say that Efren and Django don’t have the means to go to that tournament, which Fajardo apparently told the organizers, is plainly unbelievable,” said Mariano.
BMPAP is the only GAB-accredited association for professional billiards in the Philippines. During its application for recognition Buhain said he is mandating BMPAP “to run the professional billiards in the country.” (PR)
