PBA: Honor contracts, Coca-Cola is asked

By WAYLON GALVEZ

Manila, Philippines – One-time PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kenneth Duremdes and 12 other former personnel of Powerade have asked the Coca-Cola Philippines Inc. for full payment of their remaining one-year contract with the team.

In a letter dated Sept. 14, 2012, the group asked CocaCola PH Inc. official Ronnie Asuncion to honor the contract they signed with the company prior to the sale of its franchise to Sultan Capital 900 Inc.
recently.

Last week, Duremdes and company had asked the assistance of PBA Commissioner Chito Salud regarding the matter and the pro league top executive said he will talk with Asuncion.

Salud later told the group that Asuncion is willing to renegotiate with them but until now the former member of the PBA Board of Governors, according to Duremdes, has yet to reach out with them.

In its letter which was emailed to several news outlets, the group said: “Coke has offered a `take it or leave it financial assistance’ ranging from one to six months, dependent upon the number of years of loyal and dedicated service we gave to the company.“

“Do the honorable thing to do and that is to honor our contract in full,“ added in the letter.

Duremdes and his group also said that they want to settle things amicably, saying: “Going to court is something we would like to avoid. But we are not ruling out this if we continue to be treated unfairly, as we have so far been treated.“

Duremdes said they will give Coke a week to respond on their letter before taking their action.

The Bulletin tried to contact Asuncion, but calls were not answered and he did not answer text messages.

Aside from Duremdes, the other 12 others who signed the demand letter are team manager Gerard Francisco, players Rodney Santos, Dale Singson, Cesar Catli, assistant coach George Ella, Julio Veloso, Dr. Pablo Santos, Maria Criselda Nieto, Lester Pascua, Benigno Espeleta and Rhaysonn Cornilla.

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