Can A Unrestricted Free Agent Transfer To A Sister Team?

The answer to the question above is not as clear cut as many PMA fans would like it to be. However, the querry is relevant, in light of mounting incidents of obvious collusion among teams under the San Miguel and MVP blocs in total disregard of pro league rules governing sister ballclubs.

So what is the take of PBA commissioner Willie Marcial on this? His answer: "Yes, but ..."

Marcial's explanation was like this: when the PBA board under the leadership of the late Purefoods board representative Ely Capacio agreed to an amendment making players unrestricted free agents at the end of their seventh season in the league, there was no such provision in the rule that specifically bars transfers among sister teams.

"Walang napag-usapan na ganoon," Marcial said.

So technically, what the commissioner said was under the current form of the unrestricted free agency rule, there is no provision that will stop, say, an unrestricted free agent from Ginebra moving to San Miguel or Magnolia; or, for that matter, a UFA from Meralco joining either TNT or NLEX.

However, that doesn't mean it will stay that way. Marcial admitted that the lack of a rule to stop such movements may prove to be a problem once unrestricted free agency takes effect, and doesn't rule out the board putting in such a provision to remedy the problem.

How?

Well, under the league's rules governing sister teams, free agents or imports released unconditionally by team under multiple ownership must be declined by all other PBA member ballclubs before it can be picked up by a sister team.

"For example, may binitawan na player or import ang TNT or Magnolia. 'Yung player or import na yon, kailangan bigyan ng chance ang lahat ng [ibang] teams na papirmahin sila bago sila pwedeng kunin ng kanilang sister teams," Marcial said.

And since the lack of a rule governing movements among sister teams in the soon-to-be-implemented unrestricted free agency may serve as a loophole that can prove tricky, Marcial said he won't be surprised if a similar rule is adopted once the board drafts the UFA's implementing rules and guidelines.

But then again, maybe not.