La Salle fate now up to UAAP board

De La Salle University’s fate is now up to the UAAP board to decide.

Divided on the issue for months, La Salle finally came up with a unified stand as it left it to the league board to make the final verdict regarding the eligibility scandal the school is involved in.

In a media advisory, Malou Caluma, head of La Salle’s Marketing Communications Office, said the decision was arrived at in the school’s board of trustees meeting Tuesday on the Taft campus.

Bro. Armin Lluistro, La Salle system president, and Dr. Carmelita Quebengco, La Salle’s vice president for academic affairs, attended the meeting.

"La Salle has decided to leave the final decision to the UAAP board whether to suspend La Salle in all events in the 69th UAAP season or consider La Salle’s leave of absence in men’s basketball only," said the board in a statement.

Upon learning of La Salle’s decision yesterday, UAAP president Fr. Max Rendon, CM, of Adamson, said all La Salle can do right now is to wait for the final verdict.

"Let them (La Salle) wait," said Rendon.

Rendon said the five-man ad-hoc committee is expected to complete its investigation and come up with a recommendation before the month ends.

Fact-finding committee chair Fr. Ermito de Sagon, OP, of Santo Tomas, said they still have to interview some more personalities before coming up with an investigation.

"We’ll be finalizing our investigation soon," he said.

Sources said suspension is one possible punishment La Salle is facing just like what happened to Adamson, which was suspended in 1994 for fielding in Marlou Aquino despite academic deficiencies.

The board has already rejected La Salle’s request for a leave in basketball because under league rules, teams can only participate in other sports if they can field a team in the mandatory events of basketball and volleyball.