Controversial marketing head Rhose Montreal leaves PBA

MANILA, Philippines – Controversial marketing chief Rhose Montreal has left the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), league commissioner Chito Narvasa said in a statement on Thursday, August 25.

According to Narvasa’s statement, Montreal “expressed her desire to pursue other interests which the PBA agreed to. The PBA wishes to thank her for her contributions and wishes her well in her new undertakings.”

Narvasa did not specify if Montreal disclosed what her other interests would be. As of posting time, PBA Media Bureau Willie Marcial has not responded to Rappler regarding who will take over Montreal’s post as Marketing Director. 

Last February, banned reporter Snow Badua posted in a series of tweets images of Montreal’s supposed diploma from the University of the Philippines which claimed she graduated cum laude.

The documents were later confirmed to be false, and the PBA accepted Montreal’s resignation letter. But close to two weeks later, the 41-year-old basketball league reinstated the marketing chief after she had made an appeal to reapply for her old post.

(TIMELINE: PBA and the Rhose Montreal controversy)

It was approved, according to the league, “primarily, among others, for humanitarian reasons because of her exemplary performance.”

The decision was met with criticism by the public, with Alaska Aces team owner Fred Uytengsu declaring Montreal’s re-hiring as something that “speaks poorly of the PBA as a professional organization.”

Montreal was considered a new hire and in the process of a 6-month probationary period before leaving her post. – Rappler.com