MANILA — PBA commissioner Chito Salud officially announced his resignation after five years in the post.
“With due respect to the team owners and Board of Governors, I am stepping down as commissioner. After five years as commissioner, I think, It’s about time to relingquish the post and pass the baton for a fresh leadership at the end of the season,” said Salud in a press conference yesterday after the first game between Meralco and Globalport at the Mall of Asia Arena.
PBA chairman Patrick Gregorio also said in the same conference that the Board has already accepted the resignation effective at the end of the 2014-2015 season.
Gregorio also said that they are now starting to find a replacement stressing the difficulties of looking for one that can continue the successful reign of Salud.
He is the eighth man to serve as commissioner of the PBA. The others were Leo Prieto, Mariano Yenko, his father Rudy Salud, Rey Marquez, Jun Bernardino, Noli Eala and Sonny Barrios.
Among those mentioned as possible replacement are for former GMA-7 and TV 5 executive Bobby Barreiro, former Philippine sports commissioner Chito Loyzaga, Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines president Chito Narvasa and lawyer Ariel Magno.
Meanwhile, import Josh David scored a buzzer-beater basket to lift the Merlaco Bolts past Globalport Batang Pier, 86-84, for their fifth straight win in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The 6’7 Davis received the inbound pass from Sean Anthony with only 3.2 seconds remaining, then dribbled a little bit inside the paint before hitting the shot to grab solo leadership for the Meralco Bolts.
The team is off its best start since rejoining the league in 2011. With the setback, Globalport dropped to 2-3.