Lying about age: Cebu basketball player banned for life

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Another junior cager, James Mark Roa of the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons, has been dealt a lifetime ban by the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) after he admitted to forging his birth certificate so he could continue playing for the inter-school league.

Roa topscored for the CEC Dragons on August 6, earning him the best player of the game honors for their first match this season. The Dragons defeated the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers, 59-43, at the Cebu Coliseum.  

Along with the ban on Roa implemented by CESAFI Commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy Jr., the Dragons’ win was overturned and handed over to the USPF Baby Panthers.

The Panthers now enjoy a 2-1 win-loss record, while the Dragons were left with a 1-1 record after going 2-0.

Roa’s ban came barely two weeks after the CESAFI also banned for life 5 players from the Southwestern University (SWU) Baby Cobras for misrepresenting their ages, spoiling what would have been a comeback for the team that hasn’t seen action since 2000.

Doctored birth certificate

The cutoff age for a player to be able to play in the junior division is 17 years old. According to CESAFI rules, a player must not be 18 years old when the tournament starts.

Tiukinhoy said that even before a formal complaint was filed against Roa, the body had asked CEC to conduct its own investigation, after hearing rumors that Roa was too old for the junior contest.  

CEC consultant Mark Anthony Tallo confirmed he had been approached by CESAFI deputy commissioner Danny Duran. He told Duran they could file a protest, given that Roa’s records were already on file from the season he played in 2013.  

The CEC was unaware that Roa submitted a doctored birth certificate for the 2013 season. 

“I was confident because he had played with us two years ago,” Tallo said. “What I did not know then was that he had already lied to us about his age,” said Tallo who added that Roa hails from a place that is near the boundary between Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in Mindanao.

The certificate on file put Roa’s birth date on November 15, 1997, making him 15 years old at the start of the 2013 season. He was a third year high school student. Roa later failed his classes, and was asked to leave the school. He later enrolled at a public school. 

Roa’s original birthdate is November 15, 1995, making him 17 years old when he played in the 2013 season, and 19 when he led the team in the August 6 game. 

Admission

Early this year, Roa sent word to CEC that he had passed his classes, and that he wanted to play for the school again.

Tallo told Rappler that he consulted with Duran back in April when Roa sent in his request. Tallo was concerned about the cutoff month in June. Roa was allowed to procede, as his birth month was in November. 

“When Duran said he can play, that was only the time we asked him to come to Cebu,” said Tallo.

He added that had Roa been honest about his age, the 2013 season should have been his last playing year for the junior league.

Tallo called Roa on Friday after discussions with Duran. Asked about the issue, the player admitted he was turning 20 years old this year. 

“I told him to just tell the truth and not lie because we would find out anyway. He said that someone had advised him to cheat on his age so he could play longer and be able to finish high school. He claimed that a neighbor in Mindanao had doctored his birth certificate. It looked really authentic,” said Tallo.

Tallo added that the player was not related to another Roa – Glent Anfernee – who was also on the team’s current roster, but added he called Glent Alfernee to assure himself the player was not cheating on bis age. 

CEC athletic coordinator John Maraat confirmed Tallo’s statement, adding that they believed Roa’s certificate was authentic when they forwarded his record to CESAFI two years ago. The school has already written a letter to Tiukinhoy accepting the decision.

Asked if he does not find the lifetime ban too harsh, Tuikinhoy said that previously it was supposed to be a 5-year ban, but the school owners wanted a lifetime ban to deter others from fielding ineligible players.

“It is a decision agreed upon by all the school owners and all those concerned. I get to be the bad guy because I am the one who gets to implement it as commissioner,” said Tiukinhoy.

Senior division cheating

Changes in team standing were also implemented in the senior division, with CESAFI officials deciding to overturn the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) Jaguars win in favor of the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters.

The game was played on August 1 at the beginning of the 2015 season, with the Jaguars beating the Webmasters 85-68. Cesafi officials made their decision after findings that the Jaguars failed to submit all Electrocardiogram (ECG) test results of their players.

This year, all players are required to undergo an ECG test before being allowed to play.

The decision left USJR with no win and two losses, while UC now enjoys a 2-1 win-loss record.

Meanwhile, Tiukinhoy said that they have already sent a letter to Cebu City Sports Commission chairman Edward Hayco regarding the four-hour community service meted out to Jawein Ceniza of the USPF Panthers. Ceniza was called out for two unsportsmanlike fouls in a match against USC Warriors, first against Giovanni Laguyo in the first quarter and Shooster Olago in the third quarter, which got him ejected from the game.

The 2015 season also saw CESAFI officials increasing penalties handed down to erring players. Aside from the one-game suspension and the fine of P5,000, an erring player must also render community service, to act both as a learning experience and as a deterrent againts further unsportsmanlike behavior. 

“The penalty should be seen as a humbling experience and provide the athlete a chance to see things from the other side of the fence. To provide him with a responsibility would be an eye opener. Although four hours is not enough to be a humbling experience, it is a start. We hope we can instill some values,” said Hayco.

Hayco said that Ceniza will either be assigned to assist children in conflict with the law are housed or students in a public school. He will be tasked to train and coach children for two hours for two days. – Rappler.com