Cardona also under fire in La Salle fiasco

**BoEinG_747** · October 22nd, 2005 04:37 PM

Cardona says he’s on the level
By Joaquin Henson
The Philippine Star 10/22/2005

Former La Salle senior varsity star Mark Cardona said yesterday he’s confident the Department of Education (DepEd) will verify his college eligibility based on the results of the Philippine Educational Placement (PEP) test he took in early 2001.

Cardona, 23, said he took the two-hour PEP test at the DepEd office in Pasig in January or February 2001 and after two weeks, got the results which he delivered personally to La Salle for his enrollment.

Cardona said nobody assisted him in taking the test or receiving the results. He added that a female student took the test with him and she is now enrolled at La Salle but declined to identify her.

"Pasado ako sa test," said Cardona. "At walang tumulong sa akin. I’m confident that the DepEd will verify I took the test and passed because that’s the truth. I want to clear my name kasi parang may deliberate effort to damage La Salle’s reputation. Wala akong kinalaman sa kaso nina Mark (Benitez) at Tim (Gatchalian). All I know is as far as my case is concerned, I took the PEP test and qualified for college."

As for claims by former National University (NU) coach Manny Dandan that he was not enlisted by the Bulldogs because his PEP test result was fake, Cardona said it’s a lie.

Cardona said in October or November 1999, he went to the NU gym with uncle Louie Cardona on the recommendation of then Mandaluyong Vice Mayor Dr. Ramon Guzman. He recalled a player Jeff Napa was in the gym.

The tryout was uneventful and lasted about two hours. At the time, Cardona was enrolled as a fourth year high school student at Jose Rizal University.

"Sabi sa akin ni coach Dandan, bumalik na lang ako sa Jose Rizal," said Cardona.

No examination of his academic records took place. Besides, the tryout was in 1999 and Cardona took his PEP test two years later.

Cardona never finished his high school education at Jose Rizal. He left for the US in December 1999 and returned here the next year. After taking the PEP test and getting his college eligibility confirmed, he enrolled at La Salle in 2001. He played on the La Salle teams that won the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) seniors basketball championships in 2001 and 2004.

Cardona also said in fairness to La Salle coach Franz Pumaren, he was never involved in forcing any of the players to sign management contracts.

"Sa four years na naglaro ako sa La Salle, wala akong nakitang player na pinapipirma ng contract ni coach Franz," said Cardona.

Cardona said for some reason, he has been in the center of controversy even when he was playing at Carson City High School in Los Angeles. But he said he has always acquitted himself because the truth eventually comes out.

Now that he’s playing for Talk ‘N’ Text in the Philippine Basketball Association, Cardona said all he wants is peace of mind and to focus on his professional career. But he said he wants to clear his name of any scandal.

La Salle executive vice president Dr. Carmelita Quebengco said the other day the school, through the university registrar, has asked the DepEd to verify Cardona’s PEP test results.

Because he no longer is enrolled, Cardona was not in the list of six La Salle students whose PEP test certificates were submitted to the DepEd for verification last August. Of the six, four were cleared and two were found to be spurious. The two spurious PEP test certificates reportedly belong to former Jose Rizal high school teammates Benitez and Gatchalian who with Cardona, played on the La Salle team that won the UAAP crown last year.

"We asked DepEd to check (on Cardona’s records) but we don’t know when the results will be given to us," said Dr. Quebengco who formed a four-man fact-finding committee to get to the bottom of the PEP test scandal involving two La Salle players. "The DepEd records are by exam date not by name so it’s not easy to check if we do not know the exam date. In Cardona’s case, he has no PEP test certificate with us so we just gave the year of his entry to La Salle."

Dr. Quebengco said Cardona was entered in the La Salle database as having a PEP test certificate. "But he has no record of the certificate of rating in the files," she added. "He has a transcript of records from Carson City High School up to Grade 10."

**nmtin** · October 22nd, 2005 10:36 PM

well benitez also said he passed the test. But Manny Dandan who is a respected coach of the PBL and UAAP said otherwise. Let's just wait and see for the results of the uaap and dlsu investigation para malaman talaga yung katotohanan.

**odell** · October 23rd, 2005 12:06 AM

grabe talaga nag nagagawa ng palakasan...

**BoEinG_747** · October 23rd, 2005 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by nmtin

well benitez also said he passed the test. But Manny Dandan who is a respected coach of the PBL and UAAP said otherwise.

nasa coaching staff pa ba ng TnT si Manny Dandan?or baka wala na kaya nakapag comment sia kay mac mac

Originally Posted by Odell

grabe talaga nag nagagawa ng palakasan...

kaya madami rin may gusto sa sports....

**BoEinG_747** · October 24th, 2005 03:56 PM

Cardona dares coach to check DepEd files

MARK CARDONA was incredulous. He couldn't believe National University coach Manny Dandan would deliberately issue an erroneous statement to the press.

Dandan said MacMac had failed the Philippine Educational Placement Test at the time he tried out with the Bulldogs in year 2000, the reason why he had to turn away the cager, despite his talent.

"Walang katotohanan 'yun. How could he claim that I failed the test when I hadn't even taken it (PEPT) at that time. I tried out with NU in the last quarter of 1999, not 2000. I took the test in 200l and I passed it. Walang sumama sa akin noong kumuha ako, walang tumulong at walang naglakad. Ako rin mismo ang kumuha ng result two weeks later. I signed for it, and this I turned over to De La Salle University. I took the test only once. They can look into the DepEd records if they want."

MacMac said the reason he was turned down by Dandan had nothing to do with academics.
"Hindi siguro siya impressed sa akin. Baka wala akong
dating-sobrang payatot ko kasi noon, parang kiti-kiti, butuhan ang mukha, malalim ang mga mata-baka napagkamalan akong drug addict."

MacMac said he finished Level 10 at the Carson High in the United States, which did not qualify him for a high school diploma.

**Isuzoom** · October 24th, 2005 09:36 PM

I am a green blooded La Sallian and I hate cheaters!

**mazdamazda** · October 24th, 2005 09:50 PM

yan na naman tayo...

"anonymous sources"

amputa... parang Gloriagate ulit... di na talaga natuto ang mga Pilipino...

**BoEinG_747** · October 24th, 2005 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by mazdamazda

yan na naman tayo...

"anonymous sources"

amputa... parang Gloriagate ulit... di na talaga natuto ang mga Pilipino...

sir .
kahit saan forum,kahit sa loob ng opisina or mga kasama mo sa buhay araw- araw
may ganyan din ,
di na cguro mai-aalis iyan sa kaugalian ng pilipino

**Isuzoom** · October 25th, 2005 03:54 PM

Eh paano si Bro. President busy sa mga political rally. Madugas at Madungis din pala! HOY BROTHER ayusin mo muna bahay mo before ka mag rally!

**nmtin** · October 25th, 2005 04:52 PM

I remember sabi ng dlsu na hindi pwede ang sorry sorry. Well in this case hindi rin pwede ang sorry lang.

Please understand DLSU is not being punished for being honest. Several people outside DLSU knew aboout the inelegible players and it was just a matter of timing to preserve their integrity. Buti kung out of your own goodwill or fielding these players were a mistake or nakalusot lang. But it's obvious that deliberate deception was done in order for these players to be in the team. DLSU officials who represent the school and the community and are respected model alumnis were chosen but you destroyed the name of your school. you made a mockery of the UAAP . SHAME!!!