Sporting Chance

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Emilio (Jun) Bernardino says he'll make a decision on Batang Red Bull's appeal to retain its twin wins over Sta. Lucia Realty soon.

For the moment, Bernardino's earlier decision to forfeit the wins stands. The forfeiture was ordered because Red Bull used an ineligible player Kerby Raymundo in the games against Sta. Lucia. Raymundo was ruled ineligible because he graduated from high school in 1997 -- not 1996 as he should've to gain eligibility to turn pro this year.

Raymundo, 19, saw action in six games, two of which Red Bull won.

Red Bull alternate PBA Governor George Balagtas formalized the appeal in a letter to Bernardino last Friday.

Bernardino's decision is strictly up to him and won't need ratification from the PBA Board which incidentally convenes tomorrow.

Clearly, the decision can't wait. Red Bull and the nine other PBA teams can't be kept hanging because the decision has a bearing on the All-Filipino Cup standings. So Bernardino's got to make up his mind fast.

To forfeit or not to forfeit, that is the question.

Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao, who was once Commissioner of the Philippine Basketball League (so he knows what Bernardino's going through), says the Energizers don't deserve the forfeiture because they beat Sta. Lucia "fair and square." Besides, there's the old dictum that a game is won on the court, never on the conference table.

The fact is Raymundo was allowed by the PBA to play the games against Sta. Lucia. And if not for the Purefoods protest, he would still be playing today.

Bernardino explains that last March 9 - or 11 days after Red Bull beat Sta. Lucia in the first of two games - he warned the Energizers of the possibility of forfeiture because Raymundo's eligibility was already under question at the time. It was then that Bernardino informed Red Bull that the Department of Education, Culture and Sports would be consulted to determine which year Raymundo graduated from high school.

"So Red Bull knew the consequences of playing Raymundo if later ruled ineligible," says Bernardino.

But it must be pointed out that before the warning, Raymundo had the PBA's unconditional go-signal to play Sta. Lucia last Feb. 27.

Last year, two Fil-Ams flew the coop after playing several games in the PBA because, it was speculated, they would've been eventually unveiled as impostors. Sta. Lucia's Rob Parker and Purefoods' Al Segova were later deported by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for failing to show up at hearings investigating their alleged Filipino roots.

Parker and Segova were never proved to be fake Fil-Ams. They were presumed to be impostors by default. Their deportation meant they lost their eligibility to play in the PBA as locals or Fil-foreigners.

The PBA didn't forfeit the wins in games where Parker and Segova played because of a Board resolution ruling out forfeiture in the event a Fil-foreigner is found to be ineligible. So for the sake of argument, if Asi Taulava is ruled ineligible by the BI (heaven forbid), Mobiline wouldn't forfeit the wins in games where he played.

Since the PBA made a resolution ruling out forfeiture in the case of ineligible Fil-foreigners, why can't it make an exception in Raymundo's case particularly as the PBA allowed the rookie to play in the first place?

If Bernardino is searching for a Solomonic solution, why not consider upholding Red Bull's first win over Sta. Lucia (last Feb. 27) and forfeiting its second win because the game was played after the March 9 warning?

On the possibility of bringing Raymundo back to the draft pool because his eligibility takes effect only next year, there's no question that Red Bull should keep his rights. Bernardino says Red Bull was allowed to elevate six of its amateur stars and Raymundo was one of them so he should remain the team's property - whether he's eligible this year or next.

As for Purefoods' move to protest Raymundo's eligibility, coach Derick Pumaren shouldn't be castigated for it. That's part of his job - to protect Purefoods' interest against teams using ineligible players. He shouldn't be faulted for it.

Bernardino shouldn't come down so hard on Red Bull. Raymundo has accepted his fate - he's admitted his wrongdoing. His suspension is a bitter pill to swallow but as Bernardino says, rules are rules. But forfeiting the twin wins is a bit too harsh a penalty for a team that played in good faith.