Inamin kahapon ni POC president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco, Jr. na magiging malaking kamalian ang pagpipilit nilang makapagsagawa ng basketball event sa naturang biennial meet.
Nauna nang binalaan ni South East Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock ang kanilang mga miyembro na kaparusahan ang katapat ng kanilang partisipasyon sa idaraos na torneo ng POC mula na rin sa liham sa kanya ni FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann.
"The idea of a tournament outside the SEA Games was raised merely as an option should it pose no threat to the existing rules of the SEA Games and FIBA," nakasaad sa official statement ng POC.
Gusto sana nina Cojuangco at POC chairman Robert Aventajado na mamahala ng isang invitational tournament sakaling ibasura ng FIBA ang kanilang apela na makapagdaos ng basketball event sa 2005 SEA Games.
"The fact that this option is being considered by the POC is of serious concern to FIBA and may jeopardize the MOU signed between FIBA and the POC," sabi ni Baumann.
Sa kabila nito, umaasa pa rin si First Gentleman Atty. Mike Arroyo na mareresolbahan ng POC at ng BAP ang kanilang sigalot. (Russell Cadayona)