Officials’ assurance forced Benitez to skip second test

La Salle center Mark Benitez, who is in the center of a controversy on player eligibility, never took a second PEPTCR (Philippine Educational Placement Test Certificate of Rating) but was assured he would be eligible to play, reinforcing allegations that team officials helped secure the player’s spurious documents.

A reliable source said Benitez made the disclosure during Tuesday’s hearing of the La Salle four-man committee looking into the controversy that has put in question the recruitment program of the school.

This development further bolstered an earlier report that two team officials — a liaison officer and a former assistant coach — reportedly were involved in the issuance of fabricated documents that allowed the 6-foot-5 cager to enroll in La Salle and subsequently suit up for the Green Archers in 2002.

Sources said Benitez, appearing before the La Salle panel with his father Mesh to shed light on the case and hopefully clear his name, divulged that he never took the second test after failing to pass the first PEPTCR in 2002.

"He was made to believe that everything was alright, and that there was no need to take a second test. Furthermore, he was assured that he would be eligible and allowed to play," said the source.

Benitez reportedly received his certificate in November 2002.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education, which administers the issuance of PEPTCR through the National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC), yesterday ended its probe on Benitez and Tim Gatchalian, the other La Salle player whose documents were also found to be spurious.

However, the education department said there is no inside job, noting that the falsified documents of the players were issued by DepEd but may have been manufactured outside. The DepEd report will be submitted to the UAAP board, which is scheduled to meet next month.

Benitez was one of the two ineligible players whom La Salle had admitted to field in the 2004 UAAP basketball competitions. The school has offered to return its championship last season and its runner-up finish this year.

Gatchalian was to appear before the La Salle panel yesterday. A letter was reportedly sent to him in school Tuesday but Gatchalian, who saw action in 2004 but did not make the team this year, was reportedly not in his class.

There were earlier reports that Benitez took a second PEPTCR, which he reportedly passed, enabling him to enroll and play for La Salle.

The panel looking into the controversy is expected to wrap up its investigation this weekend or early next week. La Salle will then divulge its findings in a press conference. — With report from Sandy Araneta