BY JONAS TERRADO
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas sees no reason why Tab Baldwin’s job as Gilas Pilipinas program director is in danger despite coming under fire for comments made against the PBA and local coaches.
“Is he in danger? Hindi naman sa palagay ko,” SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios said in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. “Not unless magsalita ulit siya na wala sa lugar.”
But the long-time official also said that no job is safe within the national federation.
“In any given situation, nobody has a lock on the position, not me, not Butch, not anybody,” said Barrios, who was joined in the forum by SBP director for operations Butch Antonio. “As they always say, we serve at the pleasure of our president.”
Baldwin caused some stir in mid-June with his remarks on PBA’s policies of allowing one import in conferences other than the centerpiece Philippine Cup and calling local coaches as “tactically immature” during the pilot episode of “Coaches Unfiltered.”
The comments prompted PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial to slap a three-game suspension and a P75,000 fine on Baldwin, who at the time was officially designated as an assistant coach of TNT KaTropa.
Baldwin was later removed from his TNT duties, though team manager Gabby Cui clarified that the move was made before the community quarantine guidelines were imposed in mid-March.
SBP President Al Panlilio also said that the comments do not reflect those of the national federation.
Barrios said Panlilio is planning to hold a video conference with Baldwin to discuss what steps are necessary for the Gilas program to move forward.