MANILA, Philippines—This is one for the books.

As I write this piece, I have in my hand a copy of a three-page letter from a law office and addressed to the basketball staff of a top exclusive boys’ school. The lawyer who signed the letter represents a young boy aspiring to be an SBP (Small Basketeer Philippines) player and his parents.

So what is the letter all about?

Summing it up, the lawyer has threatened to file a civil suit against the basketball staff composed of the head coach, his assistant and the school’s basketball program coordinator, unless the current situation is rectified.

According to the lawyer, the coordinator is also liable because like the head coach and his assistant, he is “vested with authority and discretion to make the final selection as to who will be the members of the basketball team.” In addition, the lawyer claims he has supervising authority over the coach and his assistant.

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The complainants alleged that despite the fact that the son possessed all the qualifications, had trained hard with the team all summer long and had even enrolled in the Milo Best Basketball Clinic, he was dropped from the school’s SBP team. Team B to be exact.

This move, according to the lawyer, was clear proof that the boy’s exclusion from the team was done in bad faith and thus prompted his clients to endorse the matter to his offices for appropriate legal action.

Citing a couple of articles in the Civil Code, the lawyer said that the concerned parties are liable for damages, “both moral and punitive for your unlawful acts. Our law provides that any person who willfully causes loss or injury to another, in a manner that is contrary to morals, good customs or public policy, shall compensate the latter for damages.”

For his suffering, the lawyer said the boy should be paid an amount of not less than one hundred thousand pesos. The lawyer also demanded a formal written apology from the coaching staff within 10 days of receipt.

In closing, the lawyer said: “Be assured that should you fail to heed these demands, my clients will have no recourse but to file the necessary civil suits against you to hold you accountable for your clearly unlawful and despicable acts!”

Frankly, in all my years in sportswriting, I’ve never come across a case like this one. Have you?

I bet I know where this document will end up in.

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The subject of the e-mail read: “The 8 words of Solomon Mercado.”

Sol, as you know, is Harbour Centre’s Fil-Am cager who will join the PBA draft next month. Meantime, he has returned to the United States to be with his family. Harbour owner Mikee Romero said Sol’s stepfather, who was very close to him, died in a tragic accident during the PBL championship, but the cager chose to finish the series. Even if Mikee gave him permission to leave.

Mikee expects Sol to return next month. In the absence of Jason Castro and Gabe Norwood, Mikee also expects the 6-foot shooter to be the number one pick in this year’s rookie draft.

If ever, this will only be the first time that a Harbour Centre cager would be the first pick.

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Contrary to what I expected, Sol’s eight words turned out to be book length. It was practically the story of his life which was published in a US magazine.

It told of how Sol fell into bad company and developed bad habits even before he was a teenager. He was into drugs, into alcohol, into gangs, into guns and in trouble at a young age.

His father, a drug dealer, left the family when he was a small boy and Sol lost a figure of authority who would guide him.

It was sports that saved him from self-destruction. Finding the right path, he became Florin University’s star point guard in basketball and star running back in football. Sol also found religion. Slowly, his troubles faded away as he turned to God.

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E-mail from Celerino Paguia III, son of Sonny Paguia and grandson of the legendary Leticia “Mommy” Paguia: For your info, the Paguias are only part owners of National University. Our matriarch, the late Mommy Paguia, was a Jhocson, The Jhocson clan owned NU before SM invested in the academe.