A MAJOR blow hit the UST Tennisters’ championship bid this season after UAAP board officials disqualified ace Racqueteer Karl Santamaria from competing any further in the current UAAP tennis tournament.
Santamaria, along with Randy De Guzman of Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University’s Pop Sabandon, were deemed ineligible after the three were declared professionals by the UAAP board following an inquiry by sports officials from University of the East and University of the Philippines regarding a photograph that came out in newspapers last December.
In the said photograph, Santamaria and De Guzman were shown being inducted by Games and Amusement Board chairman Eduardo Villanueva as treasurer and vice-president, respectively, of the Men’s Professional Tennis Council of the Philippines (MPTCP). Sabandon, who was elected as auditor, was not shown in the photograph.
In effect, the three players forfeited all their won matches during the course of the tournament. UST took first place with a 7-1 record while La Salle fell to third place with a 5-3 record behind Ateneo de Manila University’s 6-2.
UST Tennisters head coach Nilo Natividad, however, protested that the three players could not be considered as professionals because their positions will only take effect after March 31, which, by that time, the UAAP tennis tournament would have already been through.
RP Davis Cupper Adelo Abadia, in an
article that came out in the January 19 issue of the Manila Bulletin, likewise added that the MPTCP is still inactive and has a different set of incorporators in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In the said article, he also said that the three players are not officially members of the MPTCP and are not registered or licensed by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).
“Winning at all cost”
For his part, Santamaria revealed his sentiments in an interview with the Varsitarian.
Santamaria expressed disbelief with the board’s immediate decision without conducting further investigations regarding the case.
“Parang nakapag-desisyon na agad sila (UAAP board) tungkol sa kaso without even giving us due process. Unlike iyong kay (De La Salle basketball player) Mark Cardona, ang dami pa munang evidence na hinanap bago pinagpasiyahan,” an obviously saddened Santamaria said.
Santamaria said that they could never be considered as professionals since the MPTCP has been inactive for a long time and they would still have to secure permits from the Securities and Exchange Commissions (SEC) to become professionals.
Santamaria also said that he felt betrayed, especially after the UAAP board meeting held last Jan. 16, which was attended by assistant athletics director Mrs. Felicitas Francisco.
The veteran tennister explained that Francisco did not even even argue the banned tennisters’ point by maintaining her silence during the meeting.
“Masama ang loob ko sa ibang officials ng UST kasi parang hindi na nila ako ipinagtanggol. Parang okay lang sa kanila na ganoon ang nangyari kasi mag-be-benefit nga naman ang UST, babagsak pa ang La Salle sa over-all standings. Parang sa ginawa nilang iyan, pinatuayan nila na they would do anything to win at all cost. Wala silang tiwala sa amin na kaya naming mag-champion ngayong taon. Ngayon, kahit mag-champion pa kami, magiging doubtful pa iyon,” Santamaria said.
The Varsitarian tried to get Francisco’s side of the story but the directress refused to comment on the issue.
“Wala naman akong magawa kasi hindi ako makakagalaw kung walang mag-e-endorse sa akin,” Santamaria added.
With no other options left, Santamaria said that all he could do right now is concentrate on the women’s team which is one victory away from winning the UAAP women’s tennis championship via a sweep.
“Siyempre tutulong pa din ako kasi part pa rin naman ako ng team. Sinusuportahan pa rin ako ng mga teammates ko.” Dexter R. Matilla
