CIT-U coach on fine, suspension: It’s unfair

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats head coach Edsel Vallena believes the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc.’s (Cesafi) decision to suspend and fine him was unfair.

On Tuesday, October 18, 2022, the league slapped Vallena a P10,000 fine and suspended him for two games for “unsportsmanlike behavior” in an opening-day game of the Cesafi last October 15. He was also ordered to render four hours of community service. 

“Unfair lang jud ang decision. Mao ra gyud na akong ikasulti. Unfair kay mura ug wala gi imbestigahan,” said Vallena, who was advised by CIT-U’s legal counsel and the university’s top brass to refrain from saying more about what happened as they are now appealing the decision to the Cesafi board.

(The decision was unfair. That’s all I can say. It’s unfair because it seems there was no investigation.)

Vallena was penalized for allegedly challenging University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) head coach Edito Salacut to a fist fight in their game at the Cebu Coliseum, which the Jaguars won, 83-66. 

READ: Cesafi warns ill-tempered coaches, players: Behave or face penalties

“Being a coach, akong protektahan akong player nga gi consider nako nga anak. Pero dili nako mosulti pa ug daghan kay ni appeal nami sa Cesafi ug naghuwat mi sa ilang reply,” said Vallena. 

(Being a coach, I make sure to protect my players, whom I consider my children. But I won’t say more because we already appealed to the Cesafi and we’re waiting for their reply.)

“Nipagawas na ug statement among president ug gi advisan ko nga dili na mo comment. Maghuwat na lang mi sa reply sa Cesafi. Anha nako mo sulti sa akong side. Dili nako supakon ang gi advise sa CIT-U community,” he added. 

(Out president has released a statement already and I was advised not to comment. We will just wait for the reply of the Cesafi. That’s when I will say my side. I won’t go against the advice of the CIT-U community.) 

Vallena hopes to get back to the coaching seat as he tries to help the Wildcats end a slump. CIT-U lost anew on Tuesday night, October 18, to the mighty University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 87-61. 

READ: Ex-PSL 21-U stars lead UV to second straight win in Cesafi men’s basketball

The Wildcats are now at 0-2 (win-loss) and this suspension on Vallena isn’t helping the team’s morale.

“Na down ang team sa nahitabo. Na down ang morale sa mga bata,” he said.

(The team’s morale is low with all that’s happening.)

But even if he isn’t coaching yet, he wants his players to keep their heads up as he is confident they will get past this.

“Down man sila karon, akong gihangyo akong mga players nga ato ra ni masulbad nga problema. Salamat sa suporta ug sa pag tuo nako. Ganahan nako makabalik ug makabawi para mosaka ug balik among morale ug makalimot sa nahitabo. Ako-a na lang ni gihangad sa Ginoo.”

(They may be down now but I am sure we will be able to get over this problem. Thank you for the support and faith in me. I want to go back to coaching so I can make it up to them and so that the morale will be high again and forget about what happened. I just leave it all to God.)

/bmjo