MANILA, Philippines — Ipinaabot ni Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan ang kanyang pakikiramay kay FIBA executive director for Asia at CEO ng FIBA Asia Secretariat Hagop Khajirian matapos ang nangyaring pagsabog sa Beirut noong nakaraang Martes.
“It was with great sadness when I learned about the most regretful explosion in the Port of Beirut,” ani Pangilinan sa kanyang email sa nasabing Lebanese FIBA Asia official.
Kabilang sa mga nasira sa nasabing pagsabog ay ang FIBA Asia headquarters at ilang national sports offices.
“I join the people of your city, and the people of Lebanon, in their hour of grief and suffering, and send to them our prayers and our thoughts,” ani Pangilinan, nasa kanyang ikalawang termino bilangmiyembro ng FIBA Central Board.
Umaasa rin ang PLDT at Smart chairman at longtime Philippine sports patron na kaagad makakabangon ang Beirut sa nasabing trahedya na nagresulta sa 150 patay at 300,000 na nawalan ng tahanan.
Nauna nang nagpaabot ng kanyang pakikiramay si SBP president Al. S Panlilio.
“The SBP extends our deepest condolences to everyone who lost a family member or a friend in the unfortunate incident,” wika ni Panlilio, ang second vice president ng FIBA Asia Central Board.
Pinamahalaan ng Beirut ang FIBA Asia Cup noong 2017 kung saan tumapos sa No. 7 ang Gilas Pilipinas makaraang umabante sa quarterfinals.