FedEx to appeal Hawkins’ case

FedEx is all set to appeal before the PBA board an earlier decision made by commissioner Noli Eala ordering the ballclub to honor the remainder of cager Bong Hawkins’ contract for the next two years. The contract is worth P400,000 a month.

FedEx decided yesterday to push through with the appeal after Hawkins reportedly turned down a P2.7 million settlement offered by the team that took him in after Tanduay disbanded two years ago.

Hawkins is having second thoughts about bringing the case to court for fear of losing and ending up with nothing. He is leaving it all up to the commissioner or whatever happens to the FedEx appeal to be filed during the board meeting on the first week of June.

When FedEx took over the Tanduay franchise in 2001, Hawkins was on the second year of a four-year pact worth P13 million. Despite being on the injured list, Hawkins continued to receive his monthly salary from FedEx for two years.

FedEx has decided to remove Hawkins from its payroll starting this season, pointing out to an "exit clause" in the contract after two years. The PBA, however, decided last month that FedEx should continue honoring the contract.

Meanwhile, whether or not he brings his case to court, Norman Gonzales’ indefinite suspension in the league continues. Gonzales, the Talk N Text cager who was suspended by the PBA for alleged drugs use, met with Eala yesterday afternoon but failed to come up with any solution or a compromise regarding his current situation.

Gonzales tested positive for a banned substance during a random drug test last month, leading to his suspension until his case is reevaluated three months from now or after the PBA Invitational Cup.

Gonzales, however, contested the results of the test, claiming that it was a substance in his dietary supplement (known as energy fuel) that was traced in his urine sample and not ephedrine, a substance found in shabu.

Gonzales, represented by Atty. Efren Hipolito, then demanded last Wednesday that the suspension be lifted or he would be forced to file a court case. He claims that his rights were violated when he underwent random drug test but did not raise any objection when he joined his teammates in a mandatory test a couple of day ago.

"We talked and we discussed the problem, and agreed that we won’t discuss the merits of the case in public. But the meeting was fruitful. And we will continue to talk," said Eala.

Asked if Gonzales would still go to court, the commissioner answered: "They did not give us that commitment. And we did not cut any deals with them, either. There was no commitment from both parties and no guarantees."

Instead, Eala said they discussed ways on how to help Gonzales in his situation.

Gonzales was the fifth player to fail the drug test this season after Talk N Text’s Asi Taulava and San Miguel’s Dorian Peña for alleged marijuana use and Red Bull’s Jimwell Torion and Ginebra’s Alex Crisano for allegeed shabu use.

Unlike Gonzales, Torion is undergoing rehabilitation with the full backing and support of Red Bull management.