THE Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) will be ordered to face the Ethics Committee of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP), formerly the Basketball Association of the Philippines-SBP.
SBP Executive Director Noli Eala told reporters that as a standard operating procedure, Cesafi has to explain why they were cooperating with their rival group for the holding of the 6th Asian University Basketball Championships here two weeks ago.
“Well it is just an SOP for the Cesafi to explain their side to our Ethics Committee since they made an oath of loyalty with us last July 12,” Eala said.
Also set to face the ethics committee with Cesafi are the two Cebu schools who participated in the tournament—the University of the Visayas Green Lancers and the Southwestern University Cobras.
The Cesafi placed itself in a unique situation after aligning with both factions of the BAP-SBP.
“We just want to clear the issues, for formality’s sake. We just wanted to know where their loyalty belongs,” Eala said.
Cesafi cooperated with the BAP-SBP group of Prospero Pichay for the Cebu hosting of the 6th AUBC which attracted two foreign schools—Hoaquiao University of Xiamen, China and the Han Yang University of South Korea. The University of Luzon and the Angeles University Foundation completed the cast of the competition which was dubbed as the Battle of Champions.
Feud
Meanwhile, Eala’s move might just as well prod Cesafi to finally choose which group it will support in the never-ending feud in Philippine basketball.
Cesafi is also close to make an official stand regarding the BAP-SBP fiasco.
However, Cesafi is keeping their stand under wraps until their board meeting this coming Wednesday.
Things have been chaotic for the basketball community with two groups claiming to be the legitimate national body—the BAP team of Pichay and the other group being that of BAP-SBP’s Manny Pangilinan.
Stakeholder
Cesafi, currently affiliated with Pangilinan’s group, is caught between the warring factions, being a stakeholder, and the group deemed it necessary to investigate the legality of both groups.
Pichay, the first to hold an election, also questioned the legality of Pangilinan’s tenure and went as far as bringing the issue to court and later registering BAP-SBP with the Securities and Exchange Commission, preventing Pangilinan’s group from using the name BAP-SBP.
However, Pangilinan’s group is the one recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Fiba, the world basketball governing body, and is backed by the major stakeholders in the country.
The SBP will also ask the SEC to remove BAP-SBP from its list.
Lawyer Baldomero Estenzo, the Cesafi’s representative to the BAP-SBP had reviewed the documents that would prove the claims of both factions and will be reporting his finding to the Cesafi board.
During the elections of Pangilinan’s group, Estenzo also tried to question why BAP-SBP, which was supposed to be a united basketball body, now has two factions.
However, nobody answered him.
After Estenzo reports his finding, the board will then make the decision.
“Whatever the decision, Cesafi will remain a stakeholder of BAP-SBP,” said Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy.
Meanwhile, Pangilinan’s group, which cancelled the strategic planning session last Friday, has moved it on July 25 and 26, still in Cebu. The meeting was postponed after a conflict with Pangilinan’s schedule. (RCM, MCB)
