No problem with Rico trade – Vargas

PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas is confident things would be clarified as the league governors convene in an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss Enrico Villanueva’s delisting from the “Restricted Trading List” that paved the way for his transfer from Red Bull to San Miguel Beer.

“We’ve been through bigger problems than this. I’m sure the gentlemen of the board will be able to sit down and discuss things,” said Vargas.

Vargas called the meeting upon the request of Alaska board representative Joaqui Trillo who said he couldn’t understand why Villanueva was allowed to get out of the restriction and subsequently traded to San Miguel.

“Actually, even before Joaqui wrote a letter requesting the meeting, commissioner Noli Eala was already set to call one to clarify the matter,” said Vargas.

Apparently, Eala wasn’t able to immediately set the meeting since he was with the RP team in Rachaburi, Thailand when Red Bull and San Miguel consummated the trade deal involving Villanueva.

Eala refused to make a comment except  saying he welcomed the opportunity to explain his decision in the emergency meeting.

Trillo has said he would raise a motion for the board to overrule the commissioner in his decision.

In reaction to this, Vargas said the board has a procedure to follow. “We have by-laws which say what can and can’t be done,” the chairman said.

Trillo said governors of Sta. Lucia, Coca-Cola and Welcoat are with him in a move to veto the commissioner’s decision.

The other governors, however, thought the issue isn’t a board matter but a technical one, which falls under the sole jurisdiction of the commissioner.

Eala freed Villanueva from the RTL upon the request of his mother club Red Bull, which cited the player’s “gross insubordination.” After the delisting, Villanueva was dealt to San Miguel in exchange for Romel Adducul.  – Nelson Beltran