Yeng Guiao hits out at PBA draft lottery's lack of transparency, class: 'Parang salamangkero si Kume'

Jul 2, 2014

Yeng Guiao says the 'unprofessional' manner in which the PBA draft lottery was conducted and the crude mechanism used by the league made - pun intended or not - Commissioner Chito Salud look like a magician performing a magic trick at midcourt. Jerome Asc

RAIN or Shine coach Yeng Guiao hit out at the 'unprofessional' manner in which the PBA draft lottery was held on Tuesday, saying it lacked transparency and inevitably invited suspicion from fans.

Done just minutes before tip-off of Game One of the PBA Governors Cup Finals, the draft lottery was done with Commissioner Chito Salud drawing from three rubber balls placed inside a white box propped up on a table at midcourt at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Two balls were marked GlobalPort, which had the worst record in the league last season, while one had the name of Meralco, which had traded its first-round pick to Rain or Shine in the Ronjay Buenafe deal.

They Said It!

“Eh kung ganun, mas mabuti pa sanang mag jack en poy na lang tayo." Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao

Salud drew a GlobalPort ball, giving the Mikee Romero-owned franchise the top pick in next season's rookie draft.

The procedure drew flak from Guiao.

“We were not satisfied with the way the lottery was done, parang kulang lang sa credibility and transparency,” Guiao told Spin.ph on Wednesday after the team’s practice.

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“Kasi kahapon, there was a box in the middle of the court. Ang nangyari is, they put three balls in a box na hindi transparent, tapos pinasok lang ni commissioner (Chito Salud) ang kamay niya,” he said.

“Eh kung ganun, mas mabuti pa sanang mag jack en poy na lang tayo,” added Guiao, referring to the popular local version of the rock, paper and scissors played by kids.

While maintaining that he isn't questioning the credibility of Salud, Guiao said the procedure and the "crude" mechanism used in the draft opened up the league to suspicion from fans.

Pun intended or not, Guiao said the crude draft mechanism made Salud look like a magician performing a trick in the middle of the court on Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“For a reputable and professional league, they could have done it with class. They put marks on the ball, eh baka binili lang nila 'yun sa palengke eh so nobody can read the marks kasi ang liit eh,” added the outspoken coach.

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“I don’t think dadayaain tayo ni commissioner. But you can’t put a ball in a box na wala namang makakakita. Parang naging salamangkero si commissioner nun, parang nag-magic ka na lang nun,” he said.

Already, a video of the procedure on YouTube titled 'Grand Cheating in Draft Lottery' has already drawn more than 5,000 views as of Tuesday.

The video also raised suspicion on why Salud, after personally putting all three balls inside the box, never took out his hand again until he drew a ball bearing the name of GlobalPort.

Here is the video: