Phone Pals in no danger of losing All-Pinoy crown

Talk N Text is in no danger of losing its 2003 All-Filipino title even if Asi Taulava is later on proven to have submitted false or fake documents to prove his Filipino citizenship and therefore be allowed to play in the PBA.

According to league chairman Jun Cabalan of Bgy. Ginebra, the Phone Pals cannot be stripped of the crown they won over the Coca-Cola Tigers last month regardless of what happens in the court cases facing Taulava and four others branded as fake Fil-Ams.

"I don’t think so because of the (Talk N Text) principle of playing Taulava in good faith," Cabalan told The STAR yesterday regarding the possibility of nullifying all games won by the Phone Pals wherein they fielded the 6-foot-9 giant.

Atty. Butch Cleofe, the PBA’s legal counsel, had the same sentiment, saying that Taulava played in the PBA armed with a DOJ (Department of Justice) confirmation, which is "valid until it is revoked." A DOJ confirmation of a clearance from the Bureau of Immigration is needed before a Fil-Am is allowed to play in the PBA.

Taulava towered over the opposition during the recent All-Filipino and went on to lead the Phone Pals to a 4-2 victory over the Tigers despite losing the first two games of the scheduled best-of-seven title series. It was the first PBA championship for Talk N Text.

Taulava, a veteran of the 2002 Busan Asian Games, averaged 25.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 blocks in the All-Filipino where he was named both the Player of the Conference and Finals MVP. Based on these statistics, the Phone Pals couldn’t have won the title without Taulava.

But his playing days in the PBA may soon be over after the Senate committee on youth and sports recommended last week the filing of deportation cases against Coca-Cola’s Rudy Hatfield, Purefoods’ Andy Seigle, Alaskas’s John Ordonio, Red Bull’s Davonn Harp and Taulava himself after they were found to have submitted fake documents.

The local players’ group led by Jojo Lastimosa and Alvin Patrimonio is poised to file the court cases against Taulava and company before the DOJ. Therefore, it is only the DOJ that can decide whether or not to allow the five Fil-Ams to continue playing in the PBA.

As it is, Taulava, Hatfield or even Ordonio can still see action in the ongoing Invitational Championship since they are still considered valid and legitimate Fil-Ams unless proven otherwise. Harp is under suspension for alleged drug use while Seigle’s Purefoods team did not qualify to the ongoing tournament.

"As long as there is no suspension of their DOJ confirmations they can play and not face any sanction," said PBA media bureau chief Willy Marcial, adding that the DOJ might even let them play during the hearing of the cases.