BAP hits court verdict on BAPI

Lawyer Bonifacio Alentajan, former vice president of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), yesterday slammed the Court of Appeals decision dropping the BAP as the country’s legitimate governing body in basketball.

Alentajan graced the weekly PSA Forum at the Manila Pavilion along with embattled BAP secretary-general Graham Lim but reserved his thoughts on the controversy during lunch with a small group of mediamen.

And once he got going, there was no stopping the feisty lawyer.

"We are not even bound by a court decision," said Alentajan, days after the court ruled that the Basketball Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BAPI), headed by Nic Jorge, is the legitimate basketball body in the country, and not the BAP under Tiny Literal.

Alentajan stood as Literal’s vice-president but had to give up the post just recently.

At the same time, the BAP has warned of a FIBA sanction in the aftermath of the Court of Appeals decision nullifying the existence of BAP and recognizing the BAPI instead.

"That could be possible," said Alentajan, recalling how the same FIBA action barred the Philippines from competing in the 2001 Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championships following a leadership dispute in the BAP hierarchy.

This developed as the Philippine Basketball League backed the proposal to form a basketball superbody even as it reiterated its desire for the BAP or BAPI to come up with a sound national program in a bid to revive the sport’s image following a series of debacles on the international front.

"The country needs a strong (basketball) program to achieve its dreams of figuring well in international competitions like the Asian Games, Asian Championships and even the Olympics, where Filipinos used to play against the best of the region and the world," said PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad. "If nothing is done about this, patch-up solutions would not do it for us."

Alentajan also chided Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit who recently aired his desire to restructure the basketball body — be it the one under Literal or the other under Jorge.

"He is not a fair leader. He should examine himself," added Alentajan who also accused Dayrit of politicking, just in case the fencing president goes on to seek a second term as POC chief.

Alentajan also said there’s no need to bring the BAP-BAPI tug-o’-war to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

"There’s no need to ask the FIBA. Eh ano ba ang hawak ng BAPI? Ang SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registration? Gusto nila mag-register pa kami ng BAPU eh," said Alentajan.

Trinidad, whose league provided the support to the national team competing in the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in December, said it has been the PBL’s dream to be part of a "basketball superbody" wherein leagues and organizations will have a voice in formulating national policies and programs.

The PBL came to the rescue of the national team after it suffered a humiliating 15th place finish in the recent Asian Basketball Championships in China. It was the country’s worst-ever finish in the meet that offered a slot in the Olympics.