PHILIPPINE Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Sonny Barrios stood firm on the league’s decision on the James Yap suspension, but the board of governors agreed to craft a guideline to avoid similar issues that could hurt the league’s credibility.

Barrios cited two cases when the commissioner upgraded or downgraded a foul call by the referees that hardly satisfied Purefoods’s board representative Rene Pardo.

Pardo raised the issue in yesterday’s board meeting at the league office in Libis, Quezon City, and the members of the board agreed to have guidelines set that would deal with a similar matter.

Barrios elevated from flagrant foul 1 to flagrant foul 2 the call made on Yap in Game Three of the finals series that resulted to the one-game suspension of the former MVP. The decision did not sit well with Pardo, who resigned as chairman of the ethics committee.

“The mere fact that this controversy happened only means that some policies are flawed,” said Pardo. “As commissioner, he has the prerogative to review, but there is no clear-cut policy in upgrading and downgrading. Ang problema kasi dito, lahat ng reklamo dadalhin sa kanya.”

Barrios mentioned the case of Rodney Santos in 2004 when the Barangay Ginebra guard was called for an ordinary foul, which was upgraded to flagrant foul 1 after the Commissioner’s Office reviewed the tape.

The same treatment was given on the case of Ricky Calimag, then playing for the Realtors, in 2007 when he was whistled for a flagrant foul 1 but was downgraded to just an ordinary foul after review.

Barrios also explained to Pardo that the foul that triggered Yap’s flagrant foul in Game Three—the one that Joseph Yeo committed—was elevated to a flagrant foul 1 from an ordinary foul.

Pardo added that if the league had a clear-cut policy, the issue would have been avoided.

A league insider told the BusinessMirror that Pardo was also in the receiving end of interrogation when members of the board asked him why San Miguel Corp., where Purefoods is part of the group, pulled out their advertisements during Game Six of the series.

Pardo reportedly told the board that it was not his call and that it was a management decision.

Defining moment for Marquez

NOT only is Juan Manuel Marquez determined to prove his mastery over Manny Pacquiao. The lowly appreciated world champion wants to etch his name as one of the greatest Mexican fighters of all time.

In the can?

BACOLOD CITY—What blunder?

In a wink of an eye, Canlubang poised itself to sharing Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub history although it’s only halfway through the 61st edition’s regular championship division contest Thursday at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club.

Bacolod City—Zannie Boy Gialon issued an apology to coach Luigi Yulo, team officials Rolly Viray and Darly Patalot, and his teammates after he forgot to crosscheck his scorecard Wednesday that cost Canlubang a deduction of two points from the total team score for the day.

PHILIPPINE Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Sonny Barrios stood firm on the league’s decision on the James Yap suspension, but the board of governors agreed to craft a guideline to avoid similar issues that could hurt the league’s credibility.

Santo Tomas U (UST) and University of the East (UE) successfully defended its titles in the girls’ and boys’ division of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 70 juniors volleyball tournament.

JUST got back from that arduous but real-life experience of how life is at Shanghai, China, these days. We didn’t actually stay in Shanghai for long, making it only a starting point in going farther north to a car plant in the province of Wuhu.