DOJ has say on Asi case — Eala

Despite new documents obtained by Asi Taulava, PBA commissioner Noli Eala said they will only consider the player’s appeal for reinstatement in the league if he were to get confirmation of his Filipino citizenship from the Department of Justice.

Eala said Taulava’s suspension stays even as the Talk n Text behemoth has reportedly secured documents certified by the Tongan government and authenticated by the Philippine honorary consul general to Auckland, New Zealand attesting to his citizenship.

"As approved by the (PBA) board (governors), we will follow what the DOJ says. If his Filipino citizenship is confirmed by the DOJ, definitely we’ll consider lifting his suspension," said Eala.

"Kung makakuha siya ng papel sa DOJ, eh di okay. Baka makahabol pa siya sa national team," Eala added.

The league commissioner, however, said Taulava will also need to satisfy the new requirements set by the league on all the Fil-foreign players to gain the clearance for a return stint in the league.

The Commissioner’s Office is still reviewing the documents submitted by the Fil-foreign players.

Talk n Text, on Thursday, urged the league to immediately lift the suspension of Taulava following confirmation of the Tonga government that the player is a Filipino citizen.

Talk n Text spokesperson Rey Espinosa said there’s no doubt Taulava is a Filipino as affirmed by the new documents the player submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation.

NBI chief Reynaldo Wycoco said they would forward the documents to the DOJ for their appreciation.

Among the papers obtained by Taulava include the cager’s birth certificate showing his mother Pauline is a Filipino citizen at the time of his birth; the death certificate of Taulava’s grandmother, the former Ana Hernandez, showing she was born a Filipina and died a Filipina; and a certification that Pauline came to Tonga as a Filipino citizen and was naturalized on Sept. 8, 1976 as a Tongan national, well after giving birth to Taulava on 1973.