The Department of Education has given coach Narciso Jayme of the Negros secondary boys' baseball squad a Friday deadline to explain his side on the fielding of an ineligible player during the Western Visayas Regional Athletics Association Meet in Roxas City, Eva Belicena, Negros Occidental Schools Division superintendent, said yesterday.

Belicena said she will send a memorandum to Jayme, coach of Dr. Antonio Lizares Memorial High School in Dos Hermanas, Talisay City, ordering him to appear before the Negros Occidental DepEd within three days to justify his action.

Jayme allegedly fielded an over-aged player who was not included in the initial line-up submitted by the Negros high school boys' baseball team to the WVRAA screening committee, resulting in the forfeiture of all the games played by the Negrenses.

Negros won its semifinal encounter against Capiz, but the Capizeños filed a complaint before the tournament officials, who later upheld the protest.

In a letter to the Negros Occidental DepEd dated March 19, DepEd regional director Victoriano Tirol Jr. said that Jayme and his athletes should be responsible for answering the allegations.

"Impersonation is not an ordinary dishonesty. It is a criminal act which the responsible coach (Jayme) should answer together with the athletes themselves," Tirol said in the letter.

Team trainor Mark Jerota, who played for the Western Visayas squad national Palaro in Iloilo City last year, was allegedly fielded by Jayme against Capiz.

The Negros officials who facilitated the preparation and submission of the credentials and documents of the athletes should also explain Jayme's actions, Tirol said.

In a separate interview, Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday said he would not tolerate actions such as Jayme's because honesty should be prioritized, especially in sports.

"We will not tolerate such actions. I am very concerned because I don't want our teams to win because of cheating," Marañon said.

The governor said he also believes that the officials of the Provincial DepEd did not have any prior knowledge of the actions of Jayme.

Nanette Roa, assistant finance officer of the Negros delegation, also expressed disgust over what Jayme had done.

"The credibility of Negros, including its team officials, has really been stained because what he (Jayme) did," Roa, who supervised the practices of the Negrenses at the Paglaum Sports Complex before leaving for the regional meet, said.

Felipe Dumancs, Negros Occidental school sports head, always reminded the coaches that it does not matter if they win or lose as long as they play fair, but evidently Jayme did not, she added.

"It should have been an honest to goodness game. He (Jayme) destroyed the name of Negros," she said.

Composing the Negros secondary boys' baseball team were Kasulhay Argel, Abraham Bolivar, Obher Jay Dayon, Roberto Descutido Jr., Jonathan Jerota, James Posadas, Mark Posadas, Rimrey Tingson, Edson Torenia, Russel Alulod, Frederick John Posadas and Jessie Bato.

Negros claimed the overall crowns in the elementary and secondary categories in the regional meet. *CIT

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