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For the past 10 days, some members of Basilan are still in the Hotel Peninsular, the quarantine hotel for the ongoing playoffs of the Maharlika Pilipinas Lakan Basketball League.
And the cost has been increasing.
According to team officials, Steel’s current bill is approaching P1-million in testing and accommodation, as teams at the quarantine hotel are asked to bear the cost.
For the owner of Basilan, Hegem Furigay, they are seeking the intervention of the higher ups of the league, that is, the founder, Senator Manny Pacquiao.
“As we leave Manila, we remind you of the entire MPBL, as well as the current IATF protocols and guidelines, so that we can finish the Lakan season smoothly, fully knowing that we are spending a portion of our operating expenses just for testing and quarantine.
“All of them housed in their own individual rooms without interacting with each other is not an easy pill to swallow in terms of expenses,—Said the councilor.
Basilan already had a difficult road facing Subic.
Like Makati, Basilan was ready to pull out of the Lakan season restart as funding had been an issue for the team. Pacquiao and his staff were able to find a solution to Basilan’s problems by taking over the franchise. Basilan brought the franchise for P10 million.
He forced Basilan to return.
“When the MPBL approached us to join the bubble, we were hesitant to join because of the logistics, manpower and resources required to successfully complete our campaign. But MPBL management forced us to accept the threat of the loss of our franchise,”It reads in Furigay’s statement.
“And so we re-signed all of our players and staff with agreements so that those who will join the bubble have the sense of security that we all want.”
Basilan and Davao Occidental drew one each in the South Division Finals for best of three. The game was supposed to take place on March 10, but two players tested positive for the coronavirus.
After transporting the two players to their respective local government units, the league ordered Basilan to have seven days to test negative. A positive result obtained will lead to confiscation.
Unfortunately, four members of the delegation tested positive.
Now, nine members of the delegation are still in the quarantine hotel. They were only able to leave after another round of swab testing. For the owner of the team, they did not expect this type of treatment.
“We invested a lot in our campaign to win it all, but this incident unfairly took away that opportunity, I did not even let my people step on the court for once. So now we are demanding that our campaign costs be returnedHe continued his statement.
“We were deceived, deceived and ridiculed.
“The unfair way my people and I were treated poorly reflects the leadership skills of the founder of this organization, Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao, who was supposed to be the champion of the people and athletes of our beloved country.” alleged.
“We entered this bubble in good faith. Show us good faith by leaving. “
