The Noli Eala Scandal

"Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:15

The rains have come, mercifully so for our city, but not so for Noli Eala.

For the last few days since he was disbarred, the Noli scandal has been a topic of conversation at our home. I like discussing the topic with H, who used to be a PBA governor and once upon a time worked with Mr. Suave Eala. Eeeew.

I know the characters involved, though not personally. Noli and his wife (the legal one) Marianne Tantoco were a few years ahead of me at the Jesuit University we all attended once upon a time. Talaga naman itong si Noli, tinotoo ang pagiging "man for others" - many others.

Eala claims that he conducted the relationship discreetly. I beg to disagree. How can parading his other woman blatantly during PBA games be considered discreet behavior?

As far as I am concerned, the most gallant thing he can do right now would be to resign his post as PBA Commissioner. Then again, does gallantry exist in his person? Leaving your wife and four kids does not exactly qualify as such. Wreaking havoc on two families, not just one, certainly does not fall under gallant behavior.

Eala has totally lost all moral authority to lead. He is the face of the Philippine Basketball Assiociation for goodness sakes! A sport that is well-loved by thousands of Filipino youth all over the country whose players are idolized and emulated. How can an adulterer be made to lead such an organization? The PBA already has many woes as outlined by Gary, who owns the Basketball Exchange Blog. In the same blog entry, Gary reprints the whole article on Noli's disbarment and cites the many reasons why he believes Noli should no longer be made to lead.

Many sportswriters are of the sentiment that Noli should go. "How can he expect to penalize players with conduct unbecoming when he himself is terribly guilty of such?" Thus, this case, and how the PBA Board will decide in the next few days will be something to look out for because it will be a decision that will be reflective of the morals and values that we adhere to.

If he is not sacked by the PBA Board or does not have the decency to resign, what kind of message does that send to our youth? That it's okay to cheat on your wife, leave her and steal someone else's wife? Grabe. Hindi lang isa sa Ten Commandments ang binalewala niya, dalawa pa! Goodness, if that weren't enough to sack the guy, I don't know anymore what kind of morality the PBA Board has. Okay, assuming when they took him on as comish, he already had a pending case, pero sige, wala pa naman final decision noon. BUT now, the guy has already broken two of the ten commandments, disbarred as a lawyer and classified as an adulterer by no less than the highest court of the land ... aba gentlemen, what other proof do you need? Then again, simple lang yan. IF I had the chance to have an audience with the current PBA Governors (most of whom are men in the 55-65 age range) I would pose a scenario to them and ask a simple question -- Think for a moment gentlemen, if Marianne (Noli's legal wife) were your daughter, and their four kids, your grandchildren, can you actually find it in your heart and conscience to retain this guy as PBA Commisioner? If you were a PBA Governor, what would you do?
On that premise, I rest my case.

We pray that the PBA Board of Governors will make the right decision and that Eala will accept his fate, like a real man. Yes, the Lord forgives, but there is such a thing as the consequences of sin that the sinner needs to face up to. In God's time, may everyone who has been hurt by this scandal, find forgiveness and the peace that they all need in order to finally move on with their lives, quietly and away from the din and glare of the limelight.