Timeout very timely

The minority has extended the hand of peace to the seven members wanting to oust Chito Narvasa as commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Admirable.

As a result, the Oust-Narvasa-Movement went pffft as the 7 coup plotters remained stymied to get the required 8 members to sack Narvasa in accordance with the PBA’s bylaws and Constitution.

The 7 anti-Narvasa proponents are TNT, Meralco, NLEx, Phoenix, Blackwater, Alaska and Rain or Shine. The pro-Narvasa are San Miguel Beer, Star, Ginebra, GlobalPort and Kia.

In their collective statement last weekend, the pro-Narvasa faction said, in part:

“With the best interest of the league in mind, we have come to an agreement to reach out to the other members of the Board to resolve this impasse as a collegial body, not as individuals, to maintain the integrity of the PBA and protect the interest of fans nationwide.

“We trust we would be able to resolve issues concerning Commissioner Narvasa’s tenure and other matters regarding the PBA’s future direction in the upcoming Annual Planning set on Nov. 14, with fitting dignity and decorum.

“In the meantime, we appeal to the other members of the board to refrain from issuing any statement, making further comments, assumptions and judgments until after we deliberate on, and settle, this standoff.

“Accordingly, the PBA will proceed with the normal course of its business operations within the parameters of its bylaws and Constitution.

“All five teams composed of San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra, Star Hotshots, Globalport and Kia Picanto will also continue to make available its players to the Philippine team that is preparing for the Fiba-Asia World Cup qualifier and other league functions. We believe this should not be adversely affected by the board members’ differences in opinion.”

In short, for the league’s sakes in the eyes of the 5 pro-Narvasa faction, it should be status quo until and after the PBA Planning stage in the US is over on Nov. 14.

For now, all the venom, bickering and seething anger must be tossed out the window. More than the Narvasa case is the business of charting the PBA’s future. Meaning, timeout muna.

Very timely, indeed.