Hindi basta-basta masisira ang reputasyon ng San Miguel - Salud

MANILA, Philippines - Hindi naniniwala si PBA Commissioner Chito Salud na masisira na lamang ng basta-basta ang reputasyon ng San Miguel Corporation dahil sa ginawa ni Petron Blaze import Renaldo Balkman sa nakaraang laro nito kontra sa Alaska at sa ginawa ni Salud na pagba-ban at pagmulta ng P250,000 sa nasabing player.

“Petron/SMC franchise’s reputation is solid and unshakeable. I respectfully disagree with anyone who will say otherwise, much more on the basis of an import’s individual and singular act. It just isn’t the case,” pahayag ni Salud kahapon bilang reaksyon sa naging statement ng SMC sa media noong Lunes pagkatapos ihayag ni Salud ang parusa kay Balkman.

“The incident has been blown out of proportion and has damaged our good name. Already, news of the incident has spread throughout the country and overseas through traditional and online media,” ang bahagi ng naging press statement ng SMC, kung saan nagpahiwatig ito ng posibleng pag-alis ng tatlong PBA teams nito – Petron Blaze, San Mig Coffee at Barangay Ginebra – sa liga kung saan nag-iisa na lamang itong pioneer franchise.

“Our reputation is of utmost importance to us because we have worked hard to cultivate this good name through the decades. But it takes only one unfortunate incident like this to undo all our efforts…As such, given the possible long-term effect of this incident to the San Miguel organization’s image, and in consideration of our need to preserve our good reputation, management has decided to re-evaluate the company’s continuing participation in the PBA,” wika ng SMC sa statement.

Ayon kay Salud, maayos ang pagpapatakbo ng San Miguel group para masira lamang ito ng nasabing insidente. Ito na marahil ang dahilan kung bakit hindi na nito tinalakay ang tila banta ng pag-alis ng SMC sa PBA.

“The SMC group is a great franchise run by great leaders. I know many of them personally and I only have great respect for them. Mr. (Danding) Cojuangco and Mr. (Ramon) Ang are pillars of Philippine society who I have followed and admired ever since. The PBA and their franchise have been together for a long, long time and that’s valuable in every respect,” paliwanag ni Salud.

Dahil sa pagpalayas kay Balkman ay balitang si Rodney White ang pinupuntiryang pamalit ng Boosters dito. Si White ay naglaro para sa Barako Bull sa Commissioner’s Cup noong isang taon pero nagmadaling umuwi dahil sa isang emergency sa pamilya.