THERE'S a glimmer of hope that Calvin Abueva’s suspension will finally be lifted so he can suit up for Phoenix LPG in the PBA Philippine Cup restart.
Highly reliable sources told SPIN.ph that Abueva had a meeting with Commissioner Willie Marcial on Tuesday, raising the possibility that his indefinite suspension would be lifted in time for the season restart on Oct. 11.
The Fuel Masters are on standby mode, ready to transport the eccentric forward to the Clark Freeport bubble once he’s given the go-signal to play.
The Phoenix delegation entered the Clark bubble on Monday without Abueva, who has been suspended indefinitely since June last year after clothesline hit on TnT import Terrence Jones and lewd gestures directed at a fellow player's girlfriend.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Marcial begged for the fans' understanding as Abueva's indefinite suspension lingered, but kept the door open for his return.
Also on Tuesday, Abueva went to the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) office to secure a new playing license, one more sign that a comeback is imminent.
According to sources, GAB chairman Baham Mitra wasn't around when Abueva dropped by the office in the company of Phoenix coach Topex Robinson, as he was in the Senate to attend his agency's budget hearings.
GAB commissioner Eduard Trinidad sat down and talked with Abueva and Robinson during the short meeting.
But Abueva is assured of securing a license once he completes a seminar on the Code of Conduct for Players, a source told SPIN.ph.
The Angeles City native's suspension has now ran for 15 months - the longest in pro league history
Abueva’s name has been stricken off the official roster submitted by the team to the PBA office during the deadline for the final lineup last week, although one spot has been left open since the Fuel Masters only have a 14-man roster.
Teams are allowed to have a 25-man crew inside the bubble, including 15 players.
Once the league lifts its 15-month suspension on the 32-year-old Abueva, the Angeles City native needs to secure a new playing license from the GAB before entering the bubble.
Phoenix initially included Abueva in its bubble roster, but withdrew his name on the advice of the league.
It turned out, according to Marcial, the former NCAA MVP has yet to complete the requirements asked of him by the league, contrary to previous claims made by Abueva.
The commissioner though, refused to elaborate on what those requirements were.
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