December 2 Melee Still Under Investigation

National Collegiate Athletic Association Management Committee Chairman Dr. Ramon Cercado of the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta said yesterday that contrary to some reports, the Mancom is doing its job to once and for all resolve the issue on last Friday’s melee involving San Sebastian volleyball coach Roger Gorayeb, San Beda basketball coach Frankie Lim and some members of the Red Lions. 

Cercado, who was at the San Beda Gym during the incident to cheer the UPHSD Lady Altas on their game against the Lady Stags when the riot happened, said the Mancom is taking a deliberate process to make sure that the case will be resolved in a proper manner. 

“We are appealing to everybody concerned, including the media, for sobriety. To be fair to everyone involved, we have to follow certain procedures to resolve this issue to everyone’s satisfaction,” Cercado said. 

Cercado said he had already asked the members of the volleyball committee to submit a report on the incident as part of the process. Ironically, the chairman of the volleyball committee is none other than Jose Mari Lacson of San Beda, while his co-chair is San Sebastian athletic moderator Frank Gusi. The third member is Fr. Vic Calvo of Letran. 

Lacson was with Cercado during last Friday’s incident, when Gorayeb was ganged up by some members of the Red Lions, led allegedly by Lim, after an exchange of cuss words. 

The riot was reportedly triggered by a “racial” comment by the SSC men’s volleyball team, which was at that time was warming up for their game, directed against San Beda’s Nigerian player Olaide Ade-ogun.

Cercado said that to avoid any perception of bias, he will form an investigating committee to look into the incident. Both Lacson and Gusi will not be part of the committee, which will review the report, gather evidences and interview witnesses on the incident. 

The investigating committee will then submit its findings to the Mancom, which in turn, will decide on what sanctions to be meted out to the personalities involved in the melee. 

“We have to be transparent and as democratic as possible in dealing with this issue. But we will act on it immediately as soon as the evidences and the reports have been submitted,” said Cercado, who promised to come up with an official statement anytime in the next few days.

source: NCAA Philippines