NCAA commissioner Atty. Rico Quicho fired back at SPIN.ph columnist Homer Sayson for his opinion piece regarding the officiating of the league, categorically denouncing the claims of the story.
The story called out the officiating in the San Beda-St. Benilde game played on November 7, citing disparities at the free throws and foul of the said game.
Quicho called it baseless, outright malicious and defamatory.
“The allegations made in this SPIN.ph article are false, malicious, and defamatory. Our referees are accredited professionals, some entrusted with international assignments under FIBA,” the statement said. “To malign them without evidence is reckless and unacceptable.”
COLUMN: Spotty officiating taking the fun out of college leagues
The NCAA commissioner also shut down allegations of bias towards San Beda, with Quicho stating that he isn’t even from the school, contrary to what the column has claimed.
“The claim of bias towards San Beda University is equally baseless. It is malicious to tie such allegations to the false assertion that I am a San Beda University alumnus. I am not,” he said in that same statement.
“I earned my bachelor’s degree from De La Salle University, my law degree from Ateneo Law School, and my Master of Laws from the University of California, Berkeley. With this false premise exposed, Mr. Sayson’s claim of “spotty officiating” collapses entirely – Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus.”
To close out the statement, Quicho reiterated that he’s only standing up to what the NCAA has lived by over the past century.
“For over a century, the NCAA has stood for excellence, sportsmanship, and truth. I will not allow irresponsible journalism to tarnish this legacy.”
READ THE FULL STATEMENT HERE:
As the basketball commissioner of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Philippines Season 101 (“NCAA”), I categorically denounce the online article authored by Homer D. Sayson and published by SPIN.ph on 8 November 2025, which baselessly insinuates “spotty officiating” in NCAA games.
The allegations made in this SPIN.ph article are false, malicious, and defamatory. Our referees are accredited professionals, some entrusted with international assignments under FIBA. To malign them without evidence is reckless and unacceptable.
The claim of bias towards San Beda University is equally baseless. It is malicious to tie such allegations to the false assertion that I am a San Beda University alumnus. I am not. I earned my bachelor’s degree from De La Salle University, my law degree from Ateneo Law School, and my Master of Laws from the University of California, Berkeley. With this false premise exposed, Mr. Sayson’s claim of “spotty officiating” collapses entirely – Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus.
As emphasized in SBP ED Memo 2025?'13 by SBP Executive Director Erika Dy: “Public condemnation or criticism of game officials must never be tolerated, [as] such actions not only undermine the officials themselves but also damage the reputation and integrity of the entire league.”
A full and public retraction of the article by SPIN.ph and Mr. Homer D. Sayson is in order. Freedom of the press does not mean freedom to defame. Should this demand be ignored, I will act decisively to protect the NCAA’s integrity.
For over a century, the NCAA has stood for excellence, sportsmanship, and truth. I will not allow irresponsible journalism to tarnish this legacy.
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