So the rumors are true: Greg Slaughter, the 6’11” star center of the University of Visayas Green Lancers, is now redshirting for the Ateneo Blue Eagles to be eligible for the 2011 UAAP basketball tournament, Quinito Henson reports in his Philippine Star column. While Quinito downplays Slaughter’s transfer to Katipunan, instead playing up the center’s improvement while training with the Smart Gilas program, the story may have far-reaching implications.

Slaughter first flew to Manila to train with Gilas, a team bankrolled by SBP chairman Manny Pangilinan, who’s also the top patron of the Blue Eagles. It couldn’t have been coincidence that Slaughter chooses to transfer to the same school sponsored by his Gilas principal. Pangilinan pours huge money into Ateneo sports – “between P10 million to P12 million” a year, according to one Inquirer report – and it’s not hard to imagine him or his minions exerting influence on the SBP to steer Slaughter into making the “correct” decision.

I don’t begrudge Slaughter for this. He’s a young man with tremendous potential, so best of luck to him. He probably would develop a lot under the tutelage of Eagles coach Norman Black, a renowned teacher of big men, plus he could spend more time with Gilas. And whatever UV has to offer can probably be trumped by an Ateneo program that’s well-funded – so well-funded, in fact, that the school’s Board of Trustees is willing to overlook certain embarrassing behavior just to keep the money rolling in.

But while the brain trust of UV basketball composed of coaches Boy Cabahug and Al Solis will probably be able to buck the loss of Slaughter and remain competitive, this leaves a terrible taste in the mouth. Actually, it reminds me of the Japeth Aguilar saga. Somehow, I can’t help but get the impression that the SBP, as it exists right now, is not here to look out for the best interests of the whole Philippine basketball community as much as to make sure that each of MVP’s teams – whether it be Gilas, Ateneo, Talk N Text, or even San Beda – always comes out on top.

Now this whole incident with Slaughter could perhaps explain why the University of the East and the University of Cebu are so reluctant to allow their respective stars, Paul Lee and June Mar Fajardo, to join Smart Gilas.