Jorge resurfaces in BAP mess

For Nic Jorge, the game isn’t over.

In 1995, he was ousted as Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) Secretary-General during an emergency Board meeting presided by Lito Puyat in the absence of a quorum. Puyat, the BAP President, declared himself as Chairman, a non-existent position, and appointed Freddie Jalasco as President and Graham Lim as Secretary-General.

Jorge, a former national coach, questioned the legitimacy of the meeting. To prevent Jorge from creating trouble, Jalasco sought an injunction which was issued by Branch 12 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila. Jalasco said Jorge had usurped upon the BAP’s authority as a National Sports Association (NSA).

Although the injunction did not legitimize Jalasco’s appointment, his ascension into power was effectively upheld by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) which ordered Jorge to vacate his office at the Rizal Memorial Complex.

Jorge sought redress from the SEC but his petition to declare the emergency Board meeting and Jalasco’s election as null and void was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. He appealed the decision and resolution is pending.

In 1996, Jalasco obtained SEC approval for a supposedly new organization, Basketball Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BAPI), with Puyat, Jalasco himself, Ogie Narvasa, Boni Alentajan, and Jaime Dichaves as incorporators.

Jorge objected to the formation of the new organization because in 1994, he had obtained SEC approval for BAPI, too, with Puyat, Gus Villanueva, Jorge himself, Lucrecio Calo, and Rolly Omampo as incorporators.

It took Jorge three years to file a case seeking SEC denial of registration of the second BAPI. Last November, the SEC ruled in Jorge’s favor and ordered the Jalasco faction to stop using BAPI. Jorge found out about the order only a few days ago.

So now, Jorge is back on the warpath.

The other day, Jorge’s lawyer Cecilia Cinco sent a letter to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Celso Dayrit urging him not to recognize Jalasco’s group as the NSA for basketball.

The complication is Jalasco is no longer the BAP or BAPI President. He was recently ousted in a mutiny that installed Tiny Literal as President with Puyat remaining as Chairman and Lim as Secretary-General. With or without Jalasco, Jorge said he represents the legitimate BAP, the recognized national affiliate of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and asked Dayrit to dissociate from the faction that was once linked to Jalasco by virtue of the SEC order.

Jorge said because his ouster in 1995 was illegal, he wants the POC to recognize the original BAP or BAPI with Puyat as President and himself as Secretary-General.

In this mess, Puyat is the common denominator. Obviously, he has failed to exercise his authority in forestalling the organizational nightmare. The irony of it all is whichever faction is finally upheld by the POC, Puyat will remain in power — as President in Jorge’s BAP or as Chairman in Literal’s group. The sad thing is the BAP will suffer for it.