Who’ll replace Chito Salud?

TO SCRIBES  covering  the PBA, the  resignation  of Angelico “Chito” Salud   as  league  commissioner   didn’t come as a  surprise.

Chito  has  long  been hinting  about  making  this  move according  to  one  of  the  more  senior  scribes  in  the  beat.

“Chito   said five  years  of service   to the  league  is  enough.  He  has given   the  PBA  all  the  ideas  he  has   to  give,  practically  devoting  all  his   time  and  energy   to make  it a big  success,” the scribe  said.

“At  this point,  he   feels   that  a  new   commissioner  could  infuse   fresh  ideas   and  energy   to   the  league,  that’s  why he’s    stepping  down.”

***

If   the  boys  who regularly  cover  the PBA  had   an  inkling  of  what   was   coming, personally, I  did  not.

I was in  fact  a  bit  shocked to learn  about  this   development  only  two   days  ago. My first  reaction  was,  “Why?”   when  the  league  has  been enjoying  box  office   success and a   number of milestones   such    as  having  an unprecedented 12 teams  in its roster.

A member of  the  executive  board   said,  perhaps Chito   is   tired. “Baka  pagod  na. Or   maybe  he  is planning  a  career  shift.”

The PBA governor  said  I  will    have   the  chance   to    throw  the  question personally  during  the press   conference   scheduled at halftime  of  the  first   game   at   the  Mall  of Asia Arena   today officially  announcing   Salud’s  resignation  and    the  end of  his  tour of  duty  after   the 2015   season.

Earlier  in  the   day,  the  board will   convene  for a  special  meeting, probably   to  discuss  his successor.

PBA chair  Pato Gregorio  said  they  have absolutely  no  one  in  mind  as  yet, although  for  sure there will be  many  interested parties.

After all,  the  job  of a  commissioner  is  very  glamorous, highly visible, pays   very  well and   has  many perks.

I   still  can’t  imagine  why Chito  wants  to  give  it  up unless  he  has a  much   better offer or he is running  for public  office  next  year.

***

Yesterday,  I  asked PBA Media  Bureau  Willie  Marcial  if  he  was interested  to   take  over  the  post  vacated  by  Salud.

Willie   said  he   has  no  aspirations.  But  he  did  mention  some  names   who  he  feels  could do   the  job:  Former PSC Commissioner Chito Loyzaga,  former Sta. Lucia alternate  governor laywer Ariel  Magno,  former TV5 executive Bobby Barreiro and  BCAP president Chito  Narvasa   who  was   considered  for  the  post    more   than  a  decade   ago  when Noli Eala  emerged   with  the  most  votes  from  the board,  besting  him and Shell’s  Rey Gamboa.

Other  names being  floated  are Rickie Santos,  the PBA operations head; former PBA marketing  manager Jacque Ruby, former PBA  coach  and deputy commissioner Tommy Manotoc and Joaqui Trillo, former  PBA cager  and governor.

When Eala   was  ousted, the  hunt   was on  for  a  replacement between marketing man Lambert Ramos versus   lawyer  Chito Salud,  son  of  former PBA commissioner  Rudy Salud and also a lawyer. The  voting inside  the  board   room  was  done   over and over   again  but  it  always   ended  in  a  draw.

Because  of  the   stalemate,   the  board   decided   to temporarily  install  Sonny Barrios  as  OIC  and  about two years  later,   he  was permanently replaced  by Salud.

Meanwhile, Lambert took a lengthy leave  of  absence  from  his  marketing  job  to  devote   his  time to  wife Vilma  who  was  sick  of  cancer. Despite  Lambert’s  tender love  and   care,  Vilma still succumbed  to  the Big C,   and Lambert  is  now  thinking  of pursuing  his  original  calling  as a priest.

He is  at present  taking up Theology at  the Loyola School  of  Theology, preparatory to   the  priesthood.  Would  he  still be interested  in  becoming a PBA Commissioner?  I  must  remember to ask  him one  of  these days.