Vargas wants PBA office sanctioned

From Singapore, where he had attended an international water conference as Maynilad president-CEO, Talk ‘N Text governor Ricky Vargas planned on heading straight to the PBA Commissioner’s Office as soon as he returned to Manila.
Ricky left for Singapore last Monday, just as members of the TNT team started trickling into Manila from Dubai in four different flights and three different airlines.
TNT manager Aboy Castro, who met with sports columnists at Gerry’s Grill Monday night, said those who were left behind had no choice but to take different flights and pay their own fare.
As everyone knows by now, the Texters were not allowed to board their original flight to Manila last Sunday, stranding them in Dubai for several hours.
Ramon Pizarras, the Dubai games promoter, had abandoned them at the airport.
The rest of the PBA delegation, which included the Ginebra and B-Meg Derby Ace squads and the PBA staff, were all accommodated in the original flight.
Why only TNT had the bad luck of having their bookings canceled, no one could explain.
According to Aboy, who flew to Manila a day ahead of the group, TNT was the first team to check in at the airport.
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“By design or coincidence, it appears that TNT is getting the raw end of the deal,” an obviously infuriated Ricky said in a text message to PBA commissioner Chito Salud.
“Who is looking into this?” he demanded to know.
Ricky said the PBA office should be held accountable for the fiasco “since they caused the teams to be there.”
“I expect a full investigation on the matter. The facts speak for themselves.”
It was an ordeal for the team, Ricky said, considering that they had just been through a very hectic schedule—“a game in Digos [Davao del Sur], followed by two games in Dubai. Today (July 4), we just completed the return of all TNT players, then we play again this week.”
In ending his message, Ricky told the commissioner to expect a formal letter of complaint.
“When the PBA errs, it should be sanctioned too,” he said.
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The PBA’s biggest fault, I believe, is that they were very lax in checking the background of the promoters they have been dealing with. Look what happened to the Boracay All-Stars last May. Promoter Carlo Quevada mishandled the project and the PBA was left holding the bag. It appeared that he did not have the capability to stage an event of that magnitude.
Ateneo coach Norman Black and team manager Paolo Trillo, who were also at Gerry’s Monday night, said the PBA had been warned of Pizarras’ unscrupulous nature which they experienced for themselves last summer when an exhibition game between Ateneo and La Salle was also staged in Dubai.
But Norman just laughed off all their misadventures: “Late shuttle service or none at all, very late meals, mix-up in gym schedules for practice. One time we were even ordered out of the gym by a football team because they claimed that was their time slot. Magulo. Very magulo,” Norman said.
But at least they were able to get out of Dubai without hassle.
Incidentally, Aboy said the three PBA teams had to pay for the promoter’s remaining account with the hotel because the latter would not release their passports unless the account was settled. And the teams had to rush to the airport to catch their flight. Everybody chipped in, he said, to cover the amount which came down to several thousand dollars.