PHILIPPINE Basketball Association Commissioner Chito Narvasa expressed disappointment over the call of a bloc of disgruntled PBA board members to remove him as commissioner, without adherence to the league’s constitution and by-laws.
Narvasa stated that in his two years as PBA commissioner, he has always ensured parity and transparency in all league decisions, particularly trade transactions involving all PBA teams.
“What call for parity are they talking about? I have always ensured parity in all decisions I made as commissioner, not only in the trade involving Kia and San Miguel Beer, but even when Talk ‘N Text acquired the first round picks of Kia and Blackwater in the past to get Mo Tautuua and Troy Rosario,”said Narvasa.
He said that he sees nothing wrong even as the Talk ‘N Text team took offense at his revelation that the Tropang Texters submitted the application of Fil-German Christian Standhardinger to the PBA draft.
“That is true, that they submitted the draft application of Standhardinger to the PBA office, so why are they so mad about it?” asked Narvasa, who revealed that while the said PBA bloc, led by the three MVP-PLDT teams denied that the Kia-SMB trade started the move the call for his removal, there might be another reason for such.
He revealed that he is in the middle of an investigation regarding the transaction of PBA TV coveror TV5, part of the PLDT Group, with a betting company overseas.
“TV5 made the transaction with the betting company without informing the PBA and denied the league the revenues from the said transaction,” Narvasa said.
Narvasa asserted that he serves at the pleasure of the PBA board, of which only a majority or two-thirds of the 12 team membership can remove him from his post.
“Of course, I can resign, but only if majority of the league membership says so. We have rules in the PBA and we should be held hostage to the whims and caprices of a few, who just called for my removal because they cannot get what they want,” Narvasa said. “The Office of the Commissioner is not about one man, but also of the league. Whether it’s me or anyone who becomes commissioner, the Commissioner’s Office should remain free to act in the best interests of the majority, including the fans.”
Narvasa said that the five members of the PBA bloc talked to him as the UCC Cafe last October 30 to pressure him to resign.
“They said I should resign. I came there to meet with Ramon Fernandez (NLEX) about the PBA direction in the coming season, but they were there and told me to resign.
“Fernandez even said that they would help me with the separation,” Narvasa revealed.