TNT Tropang Giga is planning to take the issue regarding troubled star Ray Parks Jr before the PBA Commissioner’s Office to clear the air and determine the rights of both player and team.
Board Chairman Ricky Vargas already mentioned the matter to Commissioner Willie Marcial when the two attended the PBA Press Corps virtual Awards Night on Sunday at studio 4 of TV5 Media Center.
“We’ll take a look at it from two points of view. This is not the first time this incident happened. We’ll see how we can address this issue so that moving forward the policies are a lot clearer and fairer to everyone concern,” said Vargas.
The 28-year-old Parks created yet another stir on Saturday when he went to social media to announce he is sitting out the coming 46th season of the league due to ‘personal reasons.’
But shortly after, the telecommunication franchise questioned Parks’ official statement as TnT owner Manny V. Pangilinan posted on his official Facebook account a photo of the guard out of National University showing him in a La Union beach at a time when Tropang Giga management had an impression he was in the US while both parties were negotiating on a contract renewal.
Parks has not been heard of since the photo – and later a video showing him working out with national surfer Roger Casugay – came out.
Vargas said he texted Parks twice following the incident but received no reply.
“I said to him ‘let’s talk, I sent you a private message.’ So he hasn’t called back,” said Vargas, the long-time TnT representative to the Board. “I reached out to him, I wanted to talk to him, but he has not replied.
“Nakakalungkot lang kasi you know, he’s such a very high-potential player that if he wants to be a real winner, he has to look at himself very carefully.”
In Vargas’ recollection, TnT received the message from Parks about his planned sabbatical around two or three days before the son of the late legendary import Bobby Parks came out with his statement on social media.
The PBA chairman said Parks cited the need to take time away from basketball to take care of his mother who is in Los Angeles.
“I have no problem with that. In fact it’s a noble thing that he’s sacrificing his career for it,” Vargas said. “Ang problema lang, we found out later on that he’s somewhere else. He’s not in LA. So there is some dishonesty there
“He’s a great player, a very potential player. But he’s got to fix a little bit of his character to become a winner.”
But the TnT executive still wants to give Parks the benefit of the doubt, adding he would want to hear what Parks will say in the light of all the things that came out.
“I just need to understand what’s his real motivation is, baka naman iba ang motivation niya at iba naman ang ginamit niyang rason. So mabuti na yun.”
Vargas added Parks’ last communication with TnT team manager Gabby Cui was on March 3.
Reached out for comment, Marcial said he hasn’t heard from Parks either since the controversy broke out.
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