UV Lancers wish Manzo, Santillan the best of luck

CEBU, Philippines - Saying that they have no hold on what kind of path the players they nurtured want to take, the University of the Visayas Green Lancers through their team manager Gerald Anthony "Samsam" Gullas Jr. have announced yesterday that are letting go of Jun Kent Manzo and Leonard Santillan, even wishing their star players the best of luck as they open a new chapter in their basketball careers.

Just days ago, Manzo and Santillan created a stir in the local hoopdom after reports of their defection from UV to the University of the Philippines Maroons in the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) in Manila broke out, something that caught Gullas and the rest of the Lancers off-guard.

Before coming up with a decision, Gullas can't help but look back at the humble beginnings of Manzo and Santillan, whose hardcourt skills were further polished under their extensive development program up to the grassroots level.

"I am happy that the University of the Visayas has given basketball players Manzo and Santillan the kind of intensive training that developed them to become marquee players. They started in UV as Passerelle players and now are vital cogs in our collegiate program," said Gullas in an official statement.

"Coach Gary (Cortes), employing the program used by the Green Lancers, honed their talents to become key figures in the Green Lancers’ system such that in due time, Manzo and Santillan became the object of the eyes of some basketball coaches in the country, including Bo Perasol of the University of the Philippines."

Sadly, they have to part ways with their prized wards that could have been the heart and soul of the team as they gear up for this year's Cebu Schools Athletic Foundatuion, Inc. (CESAFI) season.

 "Mr. Manzo and Mr. Santillan have recently transferred from the Green Lancers’ team of the University of the Visayas to the University of the Philippines’ Maroons. Their departure though was not previously known to the administration of UV of which I am a part. Neither of them notified us that they were packing their bags to move from Cebu to Manila," said Gullas.

Though with a heavy heart, Gullas said they are setting free their All-Star cagers with no indemnity on UP's part, stressing out 

that such kind of transfer is safeguarded by a law he himself enacted during his first term as Cebu's First District representative.

"Be that as it may, let it be known that the departure of Manzo and Santillan, is protected under the Republic Act NO. 10676.  I am a co-author of this law in the House of Representatives. Under this law, student-athletes may freely transfer from one school to another without burdens and restraints. Mr. Manzo and Mr. Santillan enjoy the benefits of this law and I make it clear that the University of the Visayas, wishes them the best of luck," said Gullas.

"When I was working in Congress, I was only guided by national interest and the benefit of All our Filipino student-athletes.  Even if it did not correlate with my vested personal interest as team manager of the University of the Visayas Green Lancers," he further  stated.

"Applied to the situation of Manzo and Santillan, this law does not impose any obligation on the part of UP to seek the consent of UV specially that, in a recent news report, Mr. Perasol claimed that Manzo and Santillan just appeared during a practice of UP Maroons without any invitation."

Gullas, however, rebuked Perasol on the manner he handled the delicate situation.

"We in UV, believe that elementary courtesy, which lies as the bedrock of all sports, would have prodded Mr. Perasol to inform us that our players were joining them.  We are saddened that sometimes sportsmen lose their sense of courtesy. We didn’t expect that the coach of a premier university would have failed to recognize a simple act of decency," Gullas lamented. (FREEMAN)