26 November 2015

Farm Teams in the PBA Confirmed?

Roger Yap
A recent report from Spin.ph indirectly confirmed what everyone has suspected for a long time that the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has obviously tried to ignore – presence of "farm teams" in the league.

When the sports site interviewed former PBA player Roger Yap regarding what he claimed were 'unpaid bonuses' during his stint with Barako Bull in the PBA last season, the Cebuano cager said that he is negotiating with San Miguel Corporation (SMC). Why?

The SMC group officially acknowledged that they have three sister teams in the PBA, San Miguel Beermen, Star Hotshots and Barangay Ginebra Kings. Yap was a former Hotshot player, but after he was signed by Barako Bull, his ties with the popular SMC team should have been severed.

The 38-year-old guard, a first-round pick of Purefods in 2001 who is currently without a team claimed that Barako still owed him around PhP 700,000 in bonus during his stint last season under a contract that expired last 31 August 2015.

"Pinag-aaralan ko na nga kung ano ang galaw na gagawin ko. Pero nag-i-start na kong gumalaw para makuha 'yun," Yap told Spin.ph. "Inaantay ko pa. Pumunta na ko sa abugado ko at gagawa na siya ng letter para sa management ng San Miguel para ibigay namin doon."

Asked why he is negotiating with San Miguel and not Barako management, Yap claimed SMC has jurisdiction over his contract, adding, "Alam naman natin eh (ang) Barako parang ano na rin 'yan ng San Miguel company. Lahat ng San Miguel players, Purefoods ganun, dadaan talaga sa Barako."

Yap revealed he and other Barako players receive their monthly paychecks through SMC affiliate Bank of Commerce.

"Ang nagbibigay sa akin (ng suweldo) San Miguel eh, Bank of Commerce. Same kami lahat (sa Barako), Bank of Commerce," he explained.

Yap's assertion may be vague, but if this former SMC player believes that the company owes him something even if he officially plays for a alleged "farm" team, then who are we to question him.

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