Tila nagsasakdal at nangungutya ang mga sulat na ipinadala ni PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa para kay Mahindra team consultant at many-time national team coach Joe Lipa kung kaya hindi nito sinipot ang pagpapatawag na ginawa ng una sa kanyang tanggapan dahil sa pagdidipensa ng huli kay Enforcers playing coach Manny Pacquiao sa umano’y di magandang komento ng PBA chief.
“I found his words as “accusatory and condescending,” ang naging paglalarawan ni Lipa sa ipinadalang mga liham sa kanya ni Narvasa na humihingi ng kanyang appearance sa Office of the Commissioner na ipinadala sa kanya noong Nobyembre 13 at Nobyembre 17.
Ipinatawag ni Narvasa si Lipa matapos maglabas din ng kanyang komento ang huli hinggil sa naunang mga komento ng una na lumabas sa diyaryong Gulf News sa Dubai patungkol sa abilidad bilang isang basketball coach at player ni Pacquiao na tinawag naman ni Lipa na tila nanghihiya at hindi naman kinakailangan.
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At dahil sa pang-iisnab na ginawa ni Lipa, pinatawan siya ng ban ni Narvasa na makadalo sa anumang PBA games kahit na sa laban ng Mahindra hangga’t hindi siya nagpapakita at tumutugon sa pagpapatawag sa kanya.
“Nakaka-offend masyado yung first letter nya.Masyadong strongly worded. Parang nagdi-demand sya sa kin to come to his office ,” pahayag ni Lipa sa panayam dito na naunang lumabas sa Spin.ph.
“Talagang he was demanding me to come to his office and the letter was accusatory. He summoned me dahil sa mga sinabi ko sa media tungkol kay Manny Pacquiao,” dagdag pa nito.
“I find the letter to connote, to imply a lot and there are connotations of accusing me and secondly, there are implications of superior-and-subordinate relationship. I like to make it clear to him that my superior is Kia management, short of saying na, ‘Hindi kita (Narvasa) kaano-ano.’
“If the letter was less condescending, maybe I could have appeared.”
“I just said what I have to say. He undermined our playing coach, who is he to do that? I am the elder statesman of the team and it is my obligation to pick up the cudgels for our ballclub,” ayon pa kay Lipa.
“And even if it was not Pacquiao who he degraded, kahit ‘yung pinakamaliit na player namin sa team o ballboy, I will also confront him because I know that is wrong. It is unbecoming of a commissioner.”
“Alam mo, he is undermining the ability and standing and the image of Manny Pacquiao as a coach and as a player, by saying he is not a basketball player but a boxer. Why did he say that? Dumaan sa draft nila si Manny ah. Inallow nila to participate, suddenly gaganunin nila,” ang nagngingitngit pang wika nito.
