POC recognizes Puyat, Pangilinan

The Philippine Olympic Committee Executive Board formally recognized yesterday the election of Lito Puyat and PLDT top honcho Manny Pangilinan as president and chairman of the Basketball Association of the Philippines, respectively, but the group of Quintellano "Tiny" Literal said they will go on with their own scheduled elections on June 20.

The board, which met yesterday afternoon at the Cafe-J in Makati City, cited that the election of Puyat, who once led the local cage body for 27 years, and Pangilinan was in accordance with the BAP’s constitution and by-laws and the POC’s March 28 resolution.

"We were advised by our lawyers that there is no legal impediment in giving recognition to the election of Lito Puyat and Manny Pangilinan as top officials of the BAP because there was no temporary restraining order issued by the courts in the first place," said POC secretary-general Romeo Ribaño.

The same board, according to Ribaño, also noted the lack of formal complaints from the faction of Literal with regards to the BAP’s June 7 election in Makati City.

"The POC has not received any complaint or protest on the aforesaid election as of this date so the POC hereby recognizes the election of the two," said Ribaño.

Graham Lim, who was the secretary-general by the Literal-led BAP faction, on his part, said they were not surprised by the decision by the POC to recognize Puyat and his group.

"We expected that from the POC because they have been showing that from the start in favor of the other BAP group," said Lim.

He added that they will let the court handle the situation and they will hold their own elections on June 20 on the fifth floor of the Manila Regional Trial Court Office. He said their group invited a representative from Asian Basketball Confederation.

However, the Fiba, the world governing body in amateur basketball, said it will only recognize the group sanctioned by the POC.

Members of the board who attended the meeting were Celso Dayrit, the POC president, Steve Hontiveros, Claudio Altura, Ribaño, Benjie Ramos, Noel Buenaventura, Tom Carrasco, Rene Adad, Freddie Jalasco and International Olympic Committee representative to the country Frank Elizalde.

Tennis chief Salvador "Buddy" Andrada, who was present in the BAP election, was there to report about the polls.

Manny Lopez and Robert Aventajado did not attend the meeting.