NCAA, Lions brace for longer legal tussle

A protracted legal battle between the NCAA and San Beda loomed as the NCAA Management Committee met with its lawyers last night to come up with a response to the temporary restraining order (TRO) filed by San Beda against the league that enabled Yousif Aljamal to play against Jose Rizal last Wednesday.

“The league will meet with its lawyers tonight (last night) because we have to answer the TRO that San Beda filed,” St. Benilde board representative and Mancom member Henry Atayde said in a press statement yesterday.

“We will also heed the advice of our lawyers for our next step,” he added.

The NCAA Policy Board, headed by Vince Fabella of Jose Rizal, has set another emergency meeting today, their second in three days after it decided to reduce Aljamal’s tournament-long sanction to a suspension for the rest of the elimination round.

However, a source said the league might seek a forfeiture of the game where Aljamal played that saw San Beda score an 82-74 win over Jose Rizal after the 72-hour TRO expires.

But San Beda coach Frankie Lim said they might be forced to file for another TRO again.

“If they do that, we’ll file a TRO again,” said Lim.

The Mancom, chaired by Paul Supan of Jose Rizal, last Wednesday decided to disbar the 2006 Finals MVP until the end of the season after he took part in the camp conducted by the PBA as a prelude to its annual rookie draft without officially informing the league.

“We based our decisions on our league rules, nothing else,” said Supan.

The special rule was implemented three seasons ago with former league stars Gabby Espinas of Philippine Christian U, Boyet Bautista and Aaron Aban of Letran and Leo Najorda of San Sebastian informing the NCAA of their plans to join the PBA. 

Meanwhile, Letran shoots for the second berth in the Final Four as it takes on San Sebastian today at resumption of the 83rd NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan today.

The Knights are currently at second place with a 7-2 (win-loss) slate with a victory over the Stags in their 4 p.m. encounter netting them the second spot in the semis while boosting their bid for a twice-to-beat incentive.

In the other game, Perpetual Help (2-7) clashes with St. Benilde (1-10) at 2 p.m. in a non-bearing contest.