UAAP: UE alumni release statement seeking 'justice, fairness and due process' for suspended players

The University of the East Red Warriors have seen their seasons likely crippled due to a series of suspensions and the university's alumni association (UEAAI) is not happy about it.

In a statement directed towards UAAP commissioner Chito Loyzaga and the UAAP Board of Trustees, the UEAAI wrote, "We wish to draw attention to what appears to be instances of unfair treatment towards the members of the UE Red Warriors-Men's Basketball team across the ongoing UAAP 76 men's basketball tournament."

Such "unfair treatment" is a reference to the two-game suspensions drawn by center Charles Mammie and guard Ralf Olivares.

In Mammie's case, the Sierra Leone native was hit with an unsportsmanlike foul upon the commissioner's review, as during their loss against the FEU Tamaraws last August 25, Terrence Romeo landed on Mammie's foot after attempting a jumper. Because Mammie had already accumulated two unsportsmanlike fouls, a third meant he was hit with an automatic two-game ban.

However, the UEAAI points out that the offense was not called by the game's referees and only by the commissioner upon review, and "without giving the parties involved the benefit of due process and, apparently, without consulting the UAAP Board's own Technical Committee."

As for Olivares, who stepped on NU Bulldog Nico Javelona and then hit another, Jeoffrey Javillonar, from behind while on the bench, last August 31, the statement says "while his [Olivares] actions are not inarguable, we respectfully deem it unjust that the young man was dealt by the Commissioner with his own two-game suspension sans the benefit of the process."

The statement also adds, "Adding insult to injury is the highly visible fact that such supposed offenses by UE players have likewise been committed by members of a number of other UAAP member-schools' players, yet those other schools' own offenders either have had much lighter penalties or none at all."

The letter however did not go into detail about these other players and incidents.

"These unheralded decisions of the good Commissioner, which are made in private but have very public consequences are visible to the naked eye of any ardent UAAP observer or fan. Most of all, they endanger the very ideals that the league espouses," the group also warns.

However, the UEAAI does say that they are "open to dialogue should the Commissioner and the Board deem it meritorious."

Throughout the season, Commissioner Loyzaga has been exercising power to review game film and issue warnings and sanctions after the fact. As a result, multiple players have received warnings and unsportsmanlike fouls, with some resulting in suspensions, due to the UAAP's rule that two unsportsmanlike fouls result in an automatic suspension.

Late last month though, UE was able to appeal what used to be a two-game suspension on guard Lord Casajeros, reducing it to a one-game ban.

As a result, Casajeros will be available in Wednesday's match versus the DLSU Green Archers, though Mammie will be serving his second game suspension, and Olivares his first.

UE has lost their last two games, giving them an even 5-5 record, a win behind the ADMU Blue Eagles and the UST Growling Tigers, who are currently tied for the fourth and final postseason berth. - AMD, GMA News