MANILA – The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) has finally given the green light for the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup to hold its Mindanao leg.
In a joint statement by the GAB and the VisMin Cup on Monday night, the GAB decided to clear the path for the Mindanao leg after seeing that the league has quickly resolved the game-fixing allegations stemming from the controversial Visayas leg game between Siquijor and Lapu-Lapu.
One of the things the VisMin Cup did was putting up an independent investigation group "composed of a long-time basketball administrator, a veteran basketball coach, and a FIBA rules expert."
The results of the investigation have since been reported to the GAB Anti-Illegal Gambling Unit with the help of the local police in Alcantara, Cebu.
"We are grateful to the league's officials for their sincerity to undertake the needed reforms for the protection and welfare of professional basketball, the players, and the public," GAB chairman Baham Mitra said.
"Both GAB and the league knew the challenges when the games were launched -- health protocols and game-manipulation being on top of the list. We are just glad that we are able to move forward, thanks to a large part on the professionalism of league management and the sacrifices of our personnel on the field who joined the bubble as supervisors," he added.
The Mindanao leg will start on May 30 with eight teams -- Basilan, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Roxas, Pagadian, Ozamiz, Iligan, and a club backed by Brew Authoritea featuring actor and former Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League star Gerald Anderson.
VisMin Cup chief operating officer Rocky Chan earlier said the league is now looking at Tubod in Lanao del Norte as the leg's bubble host.
Tubod has become Mindanao's basketball hub considering the number of PBA games hosted by the town in recent years. (PNA)
