Altas put accent on integrity

MANILA, Philippines - As host of NCAA Season 87, the University of Perpetual Help System wants to start with a clean, honest slate, even at the expense of the team’s chances of doing better this year.

The university president, Anthony Tamayo, yesterday announced its decision not to field one of its players who faced eligibility problems last year but has been cleared to play this time.

Tamayo said university officials had been deliberating on the issue for over a week now, and it was only the other night, five days before the season opener, that they came up with the decision.

He was referring to Marlon Gomez, a 6-foot-3 forward, who was barred from playing last year following questions on whether he had already enrolled with another school before joining Perpetual.

Another Perpetual player, Paul Nuilan, was also barred from playing last year due to alleged misrepresentation of school documents covering his transfer from Far Eastern U to Letran to Perpetual.

The NCAA policy board, however, has decided to let Gomez play this year after fulfilling the residency requirement, but now Nuilan who remained barred from the NCAA.

Perpetual, however, had made up its mind against fielding Gomez this year.

“It was a very difficult decision to make. But we have decided that Marlon Gomez will not be asked to play for the team this year,” said Tamayo during yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue.

“The university believes that a basic gentleman’s agreement was overlooked in that every school in the NCAA should have the courtesy to ask permission from another school before any player can transfer schools,” he added.

“We want to maintain an image of high integrity among all NCAA schools. Again, that gentleman’s agreement was overlooked and we must live up to the rule of informing,” he added.

Gomez hailed from the Philippine Christian University then ended up practicing with Jose Rizal U after PCU disbanded. Then again, later on he jumped ship and joined Perpetual in time for the 2010 season.

Gomez almost got to play for Perpetual last year until JRU showed documents proving that the player had already enrolled in their school, thus making Gomez ineligible to play under the residency rules.

Nuilan, on the other hand, was a case of misrepresentation of documents following his movement from Far Eastern U to Letran and eventually to Perpetual.

Gomez and Nuilan could have transformed Perpetual into a much better team but faced with the eligibility issues. In their absence, Perpetual ended up with a 2-14 record last year.

“We don’t want to come out with the image that we are pirating players. To eliminate all doubts, any iota, any perception, any semblance, we decided last night not to let Gomez play,” said Tamayo.

Del Mundo said questions on player eligibility this season will only be entertained until the close of the second round of the eliminations.

Abac Cordero, Philippine Star