CHICAGO - The Gerflor Defenders team is now owned by the Premiere Volleyball League (PVL), its president, Ricky Palou, told me in a telephone interview this morning.
A post on the social news website Reddit last November 3 proved to be the flashpoint of this swift ownership transition.
READ Gendrauli details delayed Gerflor salaries, training in barangay courts
In an expose that quickly escalated into a viral cry for help, the following were uncovered.
The Defenders had been unable to make payroll for their staff and players in a timely fashion. Mistreatment and poor practice conditions were also alleged.
"We take these allegations seriously and will take all necessary steps to ensure the integrity and fairness of our league," the league said in a prepared statement last November 8.
A day later, Palou told SPIN.ph that the probe could take up to "a week to 10 days," while explaining that due process, which includes hearing from all of the sides, would take time.
Yesterday, everything was settled. Every peso owed was paid in full, a grand total of "over P2 million," said a source familiar with the situation.
What once looked like a bleak December turned into Christmas in November for the wonderful men and women of the Gerflor Defenders.
It's the kind of story that you see and weep over in a Hallmark movie. Only this one is true and it reinforces our faith in humanity
Mr. EVERYWHERE SAVES THE DAY
So who is this mystery donor who willingly, unconditionally parted with his own hard-earned cash?
As the good news spread throughout the tight-knit volleyball community, there were whispers that the kind-hearted samaritan was Elmer De Leon, the dad of Choco Mucho star Bea De Leon who is a titan in the construction industry.
While the De Leons have both the generosity of spirit and financial wherewithal to part with P2 million, they're not actually the donors, sources tell me.
The man who rescued the Defenders from financial hardship is a familiar figure in local sports, his support of multiple teams in the high school, collegiate and professional levels well-documented.
Reluctantly, he picked up the phone when I requested an interview but he didn't want to be identified.
To him, magnanimity goes hand in hand with anonymity.
For now, let's just refer to him as Mr. Everywhere, an homage to his presence behind the scenes, helping sports and the people around it.
What's the motivation?
"I just want to make a difference, to share the blessings. I learned this from my parents and I'm passing on the tradition of giving to my children," he said.
If this doesn't make you teary-eyed, there must be a hole in your soul.
Postscript: Although the previous owners have already left the premises, their misadventures shook the PVL enough for it to consider discussing the idea that teams may be required to put up a monetary bond which would ensure that what happened to the Defenders will not be repeated.
[I'd like to thank president Palou for taking my calls late last night and very early today as I was putting together this piece. It's a testament to his transparency with the media and the fans]
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