
The PBA on Tuesday acknowledge receipt of the trade that would send Powerade’s Marcio Lassiter to the Petron Blaze in exchange for Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra.
“We’ve received the paper signed by both parties,” said PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial. “Although Commissioner Chito Salud will act on it once he returns from an out-of-the-country vacation.”
As the PBA commissioner, Salud has the right to veto or revise trades that he deems imbalanced. In a text message, he wrote that “he will consider and evaluate that trade at the appropriate time.”
Salud is expected to arrive back in Manila on Thursday, on the eve of a special meeting by the PBA Board of Governors on the trade as well as the reported sale of the Powerade Tigers franchise to San Miguel Corporation. The Philippine Daily Inquirer last week reported that the team had been sold to SMC, which Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc., the company that owns the franchise, has denied.
The PBA bars teams owned by the same corporation from directly trading with one another.
Reports of the trade has drawn alarmed reactions from members of the PBA board amid reports of the sale.
“I will request to the Commissioner if it’s possible put on hold the trade involving the two teams,” said Alaska team manager Joaqui Trillo in a telephone interview with InterAKTV Monday.
PBA chairman Mamerto Mondragon, who represents Rain or Shine on the board, said the trade could cast the league in a negative light.
“Matatalino ang mga fans natin. They’re not just watching the games, but they know what’s going on around the league. Baka magkaroon bigla ng negatibong epekto sa kanila and they won’t follow us anymore,” he said.
An official from another team, who requested anonimity, said that the PBA needs to find out if there has been a sale between Coke and SMC, or if negotiations are ongoing.
“Powerade should give full disclosure regarding the reported sale of its franchise to San Miguel Corporation,” said the executive.
Source: Reynaldo Belen, interAKTV










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