PBA severs ties with BAP

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) board of governors has approved a resolution severing its ties with the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP). According to a PBA press statement released on Wednesday, the league is rescinding its ties with the BAP in regards to the formation of national team. "This is to dramatize PBA's full support for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the unity effort. It also settles once and for all claims by BAP that the PBA supports them. Yun lagi ang sinasabi nila sa FIBA ," said PBA commissioner Noli Eala. The BAP and the PBA entered into an agreement in 2004 with regards to the formation of national teams for different international competitions. Under the agreement, the PBA was tasked to form the team for Asian-level competitions. But according to the PBA, the agreement has been superseded by the Tokyo Accord whereby the BAP and Pilipinas Basketball agreed to merge into one unified group. In the same meeting held in Cebu primarily for the league's long-term planning, the board made it clear that Air21's Lito Alvarez sits on the BAP board on a personal capacity. Incidentally, Alvarez has been reelected BAP deputy secretary general. - GMANews.TV