INQUIRER Sports

GOING BY its record, it's no longer easy falling in love with the GAB (Games and Amusements Board), whether in or off the boxing ring.

OK, the GAB goes out of its way to supervise professional sports in the country.

Its chair, just like many congressmen, owns an enviable 100-percent attendance at Manny Pacquiao fights in the United States.

But in its latest move, the GAB had to be shaken off its standard stupor first.

The GAB acted on a sensitive boxing case only after a strong protest.

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As reported in this section over the weekend, the GAB declared the controversial Lorenzo Villanueva-Eric Macas fight in Ozamis City last May 23 a ?No Decision.?

In a resolution signed by GAB chair Eric Buhain, commissioner Angel Bautista and commissioner Juan Ramon Guanzon, the board said ?it appears that the cut suffered by Macas in the right portion of his eye was due to a legitimate punch from Villanueva.?

For the recor d, GAB ruled as a result of a protest filed by North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Piñol of the Braveheart Boxing Club who asked for the reversal of the technical decision verdict by the GAB panel in Ozamis City which declared Macas winner.

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A statement from Piñol?s office said the fight, scheduled for 10 rounds, saw the younger Villanueva, a legitimate featherweight, battering Macas, a junior lightweight, starting in the opening round.

The fight, the statement added, was stopped with about 15 seconds left in the fifth round after referee Delbert Pelegrino saw a cut below the right eye of Macas and declared it was caused by a headbutt, thereby ruling Macas winner by technical decision.

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That ring robbery would?ve gone unchecked.

But a review of the fight video, result of the Piñol protest, later showed that the cut was caused by three powerful punches from Villanueva.

Villanueva, one of the top featherweight prospects in the country, came into the fight with an immaculate record of 14 wins with 14 KOs. The bout against Macas was the first that went beyond four rounds for Villanueva.

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With the ?no decision? ruling, the GAB also gave the parties the option to stage an immediate rematch.

That decision could indeed sound solomonic to the few who still love the GAB.

But not to Piñol, who?s expected to make a stronger move.

Meanwhile, California-based Dr. Ed de la Vega swore the GAB missed the whole point.

De la Vega, who provides the winning mouth guards for Manny Pacquiao, knew Piñol protested not solely for his fighter but for RP boxing as a whole.

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?The GAB chickened out,? De la Vega said. ?They did not have the ---- to mete out penalties, or at least slap the guilty on the wrist.?

De la Vega, who has been helping provide worthy foreign foes for promising Cebuano pugs, said the GAB took the easy way out.

He said the government agency was unwilling to effect reforms in professional sports hereabouts.

GAB goofed, Dr. Ed said.

He?s not alone.