Atty. Saguisag Pleads Case Of SBC's 2 Fil-Foreign Student Athletes

Human rights lawyer Atty. Rene Saguisag yesterday urged officials of the National Collegiate Athletic Association to reconsider its decision of banning San Beda College’s two Fil-foreign players for their involvement in a brawl, which disrupted a volleyball game last Dec. 2.

Saguisag was reacting to the NCAA management committee’s findings that the word “unggoy” was just a part of San Sebastian College’s chants and that it wasn’t directed on Nigerian cager Olaide Adeogun, who heard it and told his coach and teammates about it, triggering the brawl with SSC coach Roger Gorayeb and his players.

“Those concerned should not be dismissive of the word ‘unggoy,’ which was hurled at Adeogun.” wrote Saguisag, in an emailed response to an article that came out in the Manila Standard Wednesday.

“I hope Mancom will reconsider and moderate and equalize sanctions. Titles should be won in the hard court, not in a board or courtroom. To fight for the basic human right of dignity should be encouraged everywhere, particularly in Catholic schools,” said Saguisag, an alumnus of SBC.

He believes that “injury has been added to insult” when Adeogun was slapped a two-year ban, together with Fil-American Julius Armon. The two were also prevented from entering any NCAA venue for two years following the incident.

“Suppose the issue reaches the United Nations as a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? We will lose the goodwill of our African brothers and sisters and much of the civilized world,” added Saguisag.

Saguisag stated that he had been an NCAA fan all his life, and he has not heard any team officially using “unggoy” as part of any team’s chant.

He even questioned the NCAA policy board and the management committee for not imposing any sanctions on the SSC volleyball players, who were also involved in the incident.

source: Peter Atencio, Manila Standard