Unfair to La Salle, Ateneo

The rumor circulating that certain La Salle players were bribed to throw the clincher of the recent University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s seniors basketball title series isn’t doing anybody any good.

It’s unfair to the Ateneo Blue Eagles who won Game 3 fair and square.

They captured the title through their own efforts, not because someone or some players from La Salle made it happen. They deserved to win, period.

They didn’t need help from the other side.

It’s unfair to the Green Archers who took the defeat graciously and walked away with their heads unbowed. To accuse Mike Cortez or Mark Cardona or anybody else of deliberately playing below par for money without proof isn’t only inhuman, it’s insane. La Salle had its four years of championship glory. Now, it’s Ateneo’s turn.

It’s unfair to fans of both schools. They cheered their lungs out for Ateneo and La Salle. How would you feel if after paying good money for tickets, you are told you watched a fixed game? Wouldn’t you feel betrayed?

It’s unfair to the institutions the players represent. La Salle and Ateneo are known all over the world as two of the top universities in the country. An insinuation of impropriety involving a player from either school taints the image of the institution.

It’s unfair to the UAAP whose president Sonny Paguia of National University did his best to stage a title series that will long be remembered for its hype and excitement. Paguia had his share of problems, coping with scalpers and failing to provide seats for the press. Believe it or not, Paguia himself had difficulty entering the venue for Game 3.

So how did this rumor start?

You and I know that betting on high-profile games is a favorite pastime among fans. Whether that’s good or bad is beside the point of this discussion. If it’s against the law, then law enforcement agents should go after the bettors and the bookies. The fact is big bets are made on big games. There are odds that set a point spread. When a highly-favored team wins by a margin that’s within the spread, it becomes the target of suspicion–warranted or not. When a high-scoring player turns cold and fails to deliver his usual share of points, he, too, becomes the target of suspicion–warranted or not.

The problem is most bettors are sore losers. They grudgingly pay and often claim they were cheated, that they should’ve won if not for this or that player throwing the game. So a player who suffers an offnight is the unwitting scapegoat and the cause of a bettor’s woes.

Is there a gambling syndicate that controls big money bets? Probably.

Police should find out if it exists and if its tentacles extend to fixing games. This is a touchy issue because an investigation may unnecessarily put to doubt the integrity of those being investigated, even if they’re innocent. That’s why it’s important for such an investigation to be carried out quietly and without publicity so as to protect parties who are not guilty.

The rumor about Cortez was spread by a La Salle graduate who e-mailed a story about team manager Terry Capistrano supposedly confirming the bribe to a friend. The graduate e-mailed the tall tale to 20 friends. There’s no telling how many times the story was forwarded by the 20 original recipients.

Capistrano has publicly denied confirming the alleged bribe. The graduate referred to a dinner where Capistrano purportedly confirmed the bribe to a friend of a friend. The dinner never took place, said Capistrano. The graduate later admitted his story was based on hearsay and he wrote the story "to test a theory."

La Salle Alumni Association president Lito Tanjuatco was appalled by the bribe story. He said he is doubly hurt because a fellow La Sallian was responsible for spreading the rumor in the internet.

"I’ll be the first to push for prosecution if there is evidence," said Tanjuatco who studied at La Salle and whose children are from Ateneo. "A person is presumed innocent until proved guilty. I know Mike and I know what he stands for. He took La Salle to two championships and he’s got a great basketball future ahead of him as a pro. I can vouch for his integrity. He’s a good player but he’s only human–sometimes, he’ll have good days, sometimes, bad. In Game 3, Ateneo made the shots and La Salle was outplayed. Maybe, we at La Salle have won for so long that we’ve forgotten how to lose graciously."

Tanjuatco said the La Salle graduate behind the rumor is an isolated case and should be ignored. He would’ve kept quiet about it if not for The STAR story last Sunday.

"During the season, we began a tradition where after each game, win or lose, we would go to La Salle for dinner, paying P300 each," said Tanjuatco. "At first, we were only about 60 people. Then, we grew to about 200. After Game 3, there were close to 1,000 of us, showing support for our team. That’s how we regard our players. We know they did their best and we’re proud of them–everyone of them. But we also know how to accept defeat."

La Salle system president Bro. Rolly Dizon issued a statement last Oct. 23 "in the interest of truth and justice." Bro. Rolly said: "I have talked to all concerned sectors and have arrived at the following conclusions:

1. The players accused of having thrown the game categorically deny having done so and I personally believe these gentlemen.

2. We lost one game to a better team, fair and quare. Let us accept that humbly and proceed to work harder to regain the crown next year."

Rep. Monico Puentevella, a La Salle alumnus and Bro. Rolly’s brother-in-law, said the rumor should be buried and forgotten because it is baseless. "Mike has played three years for La Salle and we are grateful for his efforts," he said. "If he is eligible to play another year for La Salle and he decides to, he will be welcome. Whatever he decides, La Salle will always be proud of him."

The Cool Cat is destined for greatness as a basketball player. In four years, he’ll probably be playing on the national team at the Asian Games in Qatar. Cortez realizes what’s ahead of him. He’s no fool. He wouldn’t jeopardize his career by throwing a game.