POC dared to assert authority

(First of two-part article)

Former Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) secretary general Mauricio (Moying) Martelino yesterday challenged Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Celso Dayrit to assert his authority in resolving the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) leadership crisis without resorting to International Basketball Federation (FIBA) intervention.

Martelino said the POC, as the country’s highest sports authority, has the power to rule on the BAP problem. The POC initially recognized Gonzalo Puyat as BAP President after sanctioning his election last June 7. But the POC backtracked when a Parañaque court ordered another poll that elected Quinteliano Literal as president last June 20.

With Puyat and Literal both claiming to be president, FIBA secretary general Borislav Stankovic suspended the BAP from participating in international competitions until the leadership row is settled. Stankovic set a deadline of Aug. 31 for the opposing parties to resolve the conflict and said if no agreement is reached, FIBA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would send representatives to Manila to arbitrate. The deadline passed yesterday without a settlement.

Anticipating no agreement, Stankovic appointed FIBA deputy secretary general Patrick Baumann, ABC president Carl Men Ky Ching and ABC secretary general Yeoh Choo Hock to hold a BAP election here. IOC representative Pere Miro is arriving tomorrow from Lausanne to observe the conduct of the poll.

The visiting officials and both presidential claimants will meet to thresh out the details of the election in the Mayor Function Room of the Century Park Hotel in Malate at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Assuming no objections, the election will proceed tomorrow night or Monday morning.

Martelino said the recent Court of Appeals verdict annulling Literal’s election, in effect, confirms Puyat’s legitimacy as BAP president and upholds the POC’s earlier recognition. And since the FIBA order was premised on the existence of two BAP presidents, Martelino argued that there is no longer a basis for the suspension. He also said it has become unnecessary to conduct another election.

"It’s a local problem – something we should resolve internally, if only the POC affirms its authority," said Martelino. "Mr. Dayrit has the power to settle this issue. Mr. Literal’s claim has been ruled out by the Court of Appeals. The lower court should never have intervened in the first place but Mr. Literal tried to legitimize his election. Now the court has ruled against him so it clears the way for the POC to recognize Mr. Puyat."

Despite the court ruling, FIBA is insisting on another election.

Martelino said it’s too late for the FIBA, ABC, and IOC officials to cancel their trip here. "We should welcome them but we should explain to them that there is no need for an election," he explained. "We should send the message that we can solve our own problems without resorting to external intervention."(To be continued)