A Father's Concern Earns Injustice

Nico Salva will have to look a little higher
to find his father in the stands.
(image by JB Janeo/Fabilioh.com)

What is a little disturbing about the UAAP's decision to ban Nico Salva's dad from watching from the Patron seats isn't really the fact that the elder Salva has to endure a short ride up the escalator to his "new home." I mean, I know a handful of people who'd pay four figures for lower box seats at the MOA Arena. Watching from there is not that bad at all, so I don't exactly sympathize with Mr. Salva on that point. 

What are disturbing are the following things:

- Mr. Salva was not able to present his side, 

- Mr. Salva had to find out about the decision through the media, and

- Ronald Magtulis was given only a 1-game suspension.

Let's take a look at each of those in greater detail:

1) Mr. Salva was not able to present his side: I found it very strange how the UAAP came up with their decision without even consulting Mr. Salva. I'm pretty certain the concerned UAAP officials took some measures to investigate this incident, but, again, it's highly irregular to exclude testimony from one of the principal parties in this kind of issue. This alone puts the UAAP's decision in a questionable light. It wouldn't have been too complicated to summon Mr. Salva, right? Or even just get a  written statement?

2) Mr. Salva had to find out about the decision through the media: Now with this one I'm not sure who's at fault. Is this a case of the UAAP being too slow, or the media being too trigger-happy with their headlines? Did someone leak something to the press? This is such a simple snafu, but it creates a lot of negative ripples. In his letter to the UAAP Board, Mr. Salva states that his name and reputation, especially in his field of work, have been damaged. He claims to having had to scramble to explain himself to business associates and concerned individuals. Yikes. This was a bombshell exploded by either/both the UAAP and/or the media, and it seems, strangle enough, Mr. Salva, being the last to know, was a victim of the shrapnel.

3) Ronald Magtulis was given a 1-game suspension: Okay, so this is a guy who should be the one telling his players to keep their cool. This is the guy who is supposed to be one of the cooler heads when the phrase "cooler heads prevailed" is thrown out into the open. Now granted he didn't hit anybody, but this is a guy who threatened two people -- two separate entities -- a player (Nico) and a spectator (Nico's dad). In my book, those are two separate cases that should merit two separate sanctions. Then again, I'm not a member of the Board, so who knows how they do things, right? 

I don't feel bad for Nico's dad having to endure watching his son play a few meters farther than usual. That's bearable. What I take exception to is the fact that due process was not followed (this might even apply to Magtulis, too). Right now, what I'm getting from this is that whenever a 37-year old member of a UAAP school's team staff, who happens to be an ex-player/enforcer, threatens a 22-year old player, the player's father cannot go to his son's aid without the fear of the Board's wrath. It's beyond technicalities, really. Right now, it's just a matter of common sense, decency, and justice. 

Thank you, UAAP, for showing us how a father's concern can earn injustice. 

Slow clap, everyone. Slow effin' clap.