INQUIRER Sports

A MEMBER of the Ateneo Blue Eagles squad that captured the 2008 UAAP title is the subject of a complaint questioning his eligibility to play in the varsity league.

According to a complaint filed by lawyer Levito Baligod, Jobe Nkemakolam?a 6-foot-4 center who played three seasons with the Eagles?allegedly did not meet the requirements to complete his secondary education under the 2004 Reedley International School curriculum.

Baligod, whose client, Dr. Mylene Santos, is mulling civil and criminal action against Nkemakolam, furnished the Inquirer a copy of the complaint addressed to UAAP president Anton Montinola of host Far Eastern University.

It included a Sept. 3, 2009 certification from the Commission on Higher Education (Ched)-National Capital Region that the player was not qualified for admission to college.

Santos is the mother of Nkemakolam?s girlfriend.

?It is a personal matter,? said Ricky Palou, Ateneo?s representative to the UAAP board. ?I don?t know why they want to drag it into the basketball arena.

?As far as we know, he?s eligible. The issue really is Jobe is not acceptable to them (the parents of Jobe?s girlfriend). They want to do everything to do destroy Jobe.?

The UAAP has scheduled a regular board meeting Wednesday.

A Ched official, who requested anonymity since she is not authorized to speak on the matter, confirmed the issuance of the certificate. She said the certification was based on the documents submitted by Baligod himself.

The lawyer said he discovered the alleged slip-up in the course of his background check on Nkemakolam, who is taking up a second degree at Ateneo.

?My client?s interest in the UAAP is very remote,? said Baligod. ?If they don?t want to validate this, we have no choice. Ateneo has the academic freedom to take in students, but the representation that [Nkemakolam] is a high school graduate is different matter.?