The battle rages on for the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras and their quest to prove the eligibility of prized recruit Chris Dumapig in time for the regular season of the upcoming Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi).
The Cobras may have an ace in hand as they obtained a document from the PBA D-League signed by PBA commissionerChito Salud.
The letter states “the PBA D-League is not a professional league. It is composed of school-based and commercial teams alike, none of whom are professional teams.”
Dumapig was deemed ineligible to play for the Cobras in the upcoming Cesafi season by virtue of his stint in the PBA D-League, where he suited up for the Cafe France Bakers.
This development occurred in light of the recent amendments that were made to the existing rules and regulations of the Cesafi.
One rule that was amended states that “a player that has been paid in any professional league or semi-professional league such as PBA, PBL, Liga Pilipinas, PBA D-League is not eligible to play in any Cesafi tournament.” Previously, the rule did not include the PBA D-League.
This mainly affects the eligibility of Dumapig, a Dipolog-native who suited up for Centro Escolar University( CEU) in the NAASCU and then for the Bakers in the 2012 PBA D-League Aspirant’s Cup.
Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy said that the D-League is just like the now-defunct Philippine Basketball League.
“The board of trustees will have to decide on that matter. It really depends on the interpretation of salary with regard to the money that they players receive in the D-League,” he said.
But in that letter, Salud clarified the matter regarding salaries. “The players are not required to have contracts to draw salaries but do receive allowances for food, transportation and housing.”