Unfair to Comish

It’s unfair to accuse Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala of refusing to cooperate in the Department of Justice (DOJ) efforts to weed out so-called Fil-Shams from the league’s playing ranks.

DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez recently wrote Eala to submit a list of suspected Fil-Shams playing in the PBA so they may be included in another round-up of fakes. Gonzalez has threatened to file charges of obstruction of justice against Eala if he fails to produce the list. The secretary also said he will issue a subpoena to haul Eala to court unless he complies.

Poor Comish. It’s like he’s being asked to instigate a witchhunt, something the PBA needs like a hole in the head.

Apparently, Gonzalez heard from a source that at least two so-called Fil-Shams remain in PBA rosters. Instead of pushing Eala’s back against the wall, perhaps the DOJ should just pry the names out of its source. Eala, after all, wasn’t the source and isn’t in a position to pass judgment, one way or the other, on the legitimacy of a Fil-foreign player.

On TV’s "Debate" a few nights back, Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao hit the nail on the head when he said his team signs up a Fil-foreign player only if he submits documents, properly confirmed by the DOJ affirming his Filipino citizenship. It is not for the team to judge the authenticity of the documents. That is the DOJ’s job.

In the same manner, the PBA is not in a position to determine whether a Fil-foreign player’s documents are authentic. Once a Fil-foreign player’s Filipino citizenship is confirmed by the DOJ, he is automatically qualified to play in the PBA as a local. There are no ifs and buts about it.

If the DOJ later decides to revoke its confirmation for whatever reason, the PBA is duty-bound to rescind the player’s rights to play as a local. It’s as simple as that. No arguments, no debates.

What if the DOJ makes a mistake in its investigation and brands a legitimate Fil-Am a Fil-Sham? In this eventuality–which is possible, the PBA cannot reinstate the concerned player unless the DOJ reconfirms his citizenship.

However, there is a problem involving the six so-called Fil-Shams. Before the DOJ released its findings, the PBA Board of Governors agreed that whoever is found to be a Fil-Sham will forever be banned from playing as a local–even if the DOJ reverses itself and reconfirms his Filipino citizenship.

Of course, the PBA Board may change its mind in the same way that the DOJ may reverse itself. Surely, the PBA Board will reinstate a Fil-foreign player who is able to prove his legitimacy as a Filipino citizen and reverse the DOJ ruling on his eligibility.

Take the case of Rudy Hatfield, for instance. The DOJ found Hatfield, Asi Taulava, Jon Ordonio, DaVonn Harp, Mick Pennisi and Alex Crisano guilty of falsifying documents to obtain Filipino citizenship.

It’s common knowledge that Hatfield’s mother Lillian Advincula Valdez is a full-blooded Filipina. Coca-Cola coach Chot Reyes and actress Rufa Mae Quinto can attest to that because they’ve met his mother. So if Hatfield later convinces the DOJ that he shouldn’t have been included in the Fil-Sham hit list, then why wouldn’t the PBA accept him back into the fold?

Same thing with Ordonio whose mother Corazon is a full-blooded Filipina.

Hatfield has Filipino relatives willing to come out in the open and testify that the H-Bomb’s mother is a full-blooded Filipina. Ordonio has, too.

As for Eala, he shouldn’t be treated like a Fil-Sham coddler or collaborator. He deserves respect, not ridicule.

Perhaps, the DOJ should investigate its own ranks to find out if there was hanky-panky in issuing citizenship confirmations to those now found to be Fil-Shams. Chasing down Eala is barking up the wrong tree.

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