Cani not mad at UAAP, but hopes residency row doesn’t get personal

MANILA, Philippines – The optimistic bubble surrounding Hubert Cani over the past few weeks burst quicker than a balloon when it was revealed that he was ruled ineligible by the UAAP board on Monday, August 17, for the 2015 season of the collegiate league’s men’s basketball tournament.

Cani, who transferred to Ateneo for his college basketball career in 2014 after playing high school ball for National University, sat out last year’s tournament due to the league’s two-year residency rule for transferring high school students who have not received a release from their high school.

It seemed like Cani would be spared the second year of his residency when Senator Pia Cayetano’s Student-Athletes Protection Act (S.B. 2226) was ratified by congress on June 10. The bill states that no transferring high school athlete would be made to do residency in any collegiate league if he switches to a new school for college.

But during the UAAP board’s meeting on Monday, it was decided that Cayetano’s bill cannot be applied retroactively, making Cani and other transferring high school athletes under the old UAAP rules still subject to residency restrictions.

“Sobrang na-dissapoint ako,” Cani said about how he felt upon hearing the news in an interview with Rappler on Wednesday, August 19. “Kasi syempre inexpect ko na makakalaro ako this year, tapos biglang ganon nalang yung balita.”

(I was very disappointed. Of course, I was expecting that I would play this year, and then the news came out of nowhere.)

The former UAAP junior’s Finals MVP remembered how his phone received a wave of messages while he was in practice, asking about the decision on his ineligibility.

“Nag tra-training kami, hindi ko alam. Tapos after training, biglang ang daming nag-text saakin na, ‘Anong nang yari? Bakit ganon?’”

(We were training and I had no idea. Then after our training, so many people had texted me, “What happened?”)

Cayetano, whose bill has been sent to Malacanang Palance for President Benigno Aquino III’s signature to formally make it a law, was irate about the news of the UAAP’s decision – which was evident in a statement she released.

“The UAAP Board has once more displayed its arrogance and immaturity by invoking its unjust two-year residency rule against a high school student-athlete who has transferred to a different school in college,” she said.

According to reports, FEU, UST, NU, UE, and Adamson voted against Cani playing during the board meeting.

“This is the very same UAAP rule that an RTC court struck down two years ago in favor of swimmer Anna Dominique ‘Mikee’ Bartolome. In the case of basketball player Hubert Cani, he has even served ONE YEAR of RESIDENCE already and was hoping to play this season,” Cayetano also said in her statement.

According to a report on abs-cbnnews.com, NU’s representatives said that Cayetano’s Student-Athletes Protection Act doesn’t contain a clause that frees those previously affected by the old rules on eligibility.

“It is irrelevant that the Student-Athletes Protection Bill has not been signed by the President YET,” Cayetano said in her statement. “The UAAP must respect a student-athlete’s right to study and play for the school of his choice. The UAAP is not a commercial but an amateur league. The UAAP Board should stop treating student-athletes like commodities.”

“Siguro tama naman yung sinasabi ni Senator Pia Cayetano, kasi hindi lang naman [ako] yung na aapektohan eh; pati yung iba eh,” Cani told Rappler on Wednesday – a sentiment shared by his Ateneo teammate and reigning UAAP MVP Kiefer Ravena.

(I guess what Senator Pia Cayetano said was right, because I’m not the only one affected by this.)

“This is not just for Hubert; it’s for the other athletes also, so hopefully the right thing will be done, whatever it takes, and as a university, the university will make the necessary actions to make things right,” Ravena told Rappler.

Cani said that Ateneo will appeal the decision on his ineligibility and he’s still staying positive that he will be in a Blue Eagles uniform when the team opens their 2015 campaign against the FEU Tamaraws on Sunday, September 6.

“Gagawin nang Ateneo, a-appeal lang. Susuportahan yung tama,” said Cani.

(What Ateneo will do is to appeal. They’ll support what’s right.)

“Umaasa pa ako na makakalaro ako this year, kasi yung training namin every day, so mahirap yung training, tapos hindi ako makakalaro – sayang naman yung pinaghirapan ko.”

(I’m still expecting toplay this year, because we’ve been training every day, and our training is difficult, and if I don’t get to play – my hard work would go to waste.)

Cani admits to not knowing why the UAAP continues to evoke their old rules for eligibility even after Cayetano’s bill was ratified, but hopes that it’s not because of anything personal.

“Hindi ko alam ano yung ginagawa nila. Hindi ko alam kung pinepersonal nila. Hindi lang naman ako yung affected dito,” said the 5-foot-11 athlete.

(I don’t know what they’re doing. I don’t know if they’re taking it personally. I’m not the only one affected here.)

One of Cani’s teammates, Jerie Pingoy, had to do two years of residency after transferring from FEU in high school to Ateneo for college. The former UAAP junior’s star will finally get to make his debut this season, but only after having to be patient for an extended amount of time.

“Even Jerie – Jerie suffered a lot, and at the same time, it’s just not right for high school players not to get the right freedom,” said Ravena, who is in his final year of eligibility in 2015. 

“Yun ang gusto natin lahat,” he added.

(That’s what we all want.)

Cani iterated that he doesn’t hold any resentment toward the UAAP or its board, but has one request.

“Hindi naman ako sobrang galit sakanila. Wag lang nila i-gawin personal.”

(I’m not very mad at them. I just hope they don’t make it personal.) – Rappler.com