By June Navarro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:27:00 11/21/2008


MANILA, Philippines—The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) will immediately notify the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the country’s basketball stakeholders of the decision by the Court of Appeals on the case filed by the Basketball Association of the Philippines.

“This is an important legal development that even the FIBA is concerned about,” SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan said Thursday, a day after the CA special ninth division reversed the decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court on the BAP’s petition.
The Manila RTC had granted last Sept. 3 the petition of the BAP to declare the SBP election that gave Pangilinan a fresh term null and void.

Based on the court decision obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the CA overturned the verdict after it found that the BAP was part of the group that formulated the election guidelines, which paved the way for the SBP national congress on June 12. “This will lay to rest, once and for all, any doubt on the election of Mr. Pangilinan,” said SBP executive director Noli Eala. Should BAP officials continue to challenge the legality of the SBP leadership, SBP vice chair Ricky Vargas said the federation, the Philippine Olympic Committee and the FIBA will no longer accredit their programs.

“It’s a waste of resources,” said Vargas. “I know they also want to help basketball like any sportsman would do, so let’s just help each other.” The BAP can still elevate the dispute to the Supreme Court within 15 days after the association received the CA ruling. “There are certain legal options available to them but I hope this is the end of it,” said Pangilinan.

“Let’s not include politics when it comes to sports matters. There are more important things to do than this (dispute),” he added. Eala said the SBP would continue to reach out to the BAP while informing other stakeholders in the provinces, which have been supporting the cause of the BAP, to support the programs of the federation.

Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/inquirersports/inquirersports/view/20081121-173492/SBP-chief-to-start-spreading-the-news