The PBA Board of Governors presented a unified force during the launching of the league’s 43rd season, but curiously, the most important man wasn’t around during the photo-op.
Embattled league commissioner Chito Narvasa refused to join the board of governors in any of the two tables reserved for the team’s representatives as well as in the photo-op which will signal the start of a new season.
Narvasa’s action fueled speculations that he might be on his way out as commissioner of the PBA.
But no. Narvasa isn’t ready yet to relinquish his post even as the league officially started its 43rd season yesterday despite reports that he is about to step down following clamor from the majority of the teams participating in the PBA.
Narvasa’s plot of not joining any of the board members in the table hasn’t something to do with the issue about the seven teams showing lost of confidence in him. The son of the former Chief Justice acted on his own and decided to sit on the separate table and didn’t join the photo-op because he wanted to see something from the 12 board members, 13 including outgoing chairman Mikee Romero of GlobalPort.
For Narvasa, he wants to see the board united days before the start of the new season.
One could only guess whether the board is truly united at this time as we saw board members from two factions seated together in one table.
This could be the progress PBA fans would like to see, but the most important question has yet to be answered up to this time: Will Narvasa stay on as commissioner or is he on the way out?
A board member who requested anonymity said there’s no problem for board members to unify once Narvasa makes the ultimate sacrifice of stepping down from his post. Besides, he believes the Commissioner’s tenure is on a yearly basis and the lost of confidence of the seven members is indication enough that the current head of the league should step down.
The same board member added that it would be easy to look for an officer-in-charge to succeed Narvasa and from there, they could find time to look for the next commissioner while the league continues to run.
The five members supporting Narvasa would tell otherwise, that it would need two-thirds to oust a commissioner.
But whether Narvasa would stay on or a new officer-in-charge would be on board soon, fans deserve the best and that is to see great quality games from among the 12 teams competing.
The PBA @ 43 should not slow down.
Rey Joble has been covering the PBA games for more than a decade. He is a member of the PBA Press Corps and Philippine Sportswriters Association.
