By Rey Joble

AIR21 president and board representative to the Philippine Basketball Association Lito Alvarez expressed confidence the board of governors would allow his company?s request to transfer its existing franchise to one of the companies owned by the Lina Group?Burger King.

?Mataas ang kumpiyansa ko na papayag ang PBA na palitan namin ?yung pangalan namin from Air21 to Burger King,? Alvarez told Standard Today. ?We have passed the necessary documents. We have presented it clearly to PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios and explained it to the board in our special meeting yesterday.?

Barrios would come up with his findings any day from now and present it to the board on whether to allow the Express to change its Air21 name to Burger King.

?We have presented to commissioner Barrios that the Lina Group has at least 33.3-percent stake at Burger King. The commissioner would have the last say on this and he would come out with the decision anytime within the week,? said Alvarez. 

Barrios refused to elaborate on the contents of Air21?s supporting documents, saying that it is a confidential corporate record. But he has assured that he will promptly act on the matter as requested by the board to come out with a report before it could be submitted to the governors for final deliberation. 

Assisting Barrios in scrutinizing the documents are legal counsel Melvin Mendoza and Barrios? personal consultants, lawyers Aga Francisco and Bieny Solis, along with the league?s chief for operations Rickie Santos and Media Bureau head Willie Marcial. 

If Air21 does manage to change its name to Burger King, no fee shall be paid to the league. This, according to Barrios, is because of the 2002 letter by the late and former commissioner Emilio ?Jun? Bernardino allowing any Air21 subsidiary firm to become the company?s banner team in the league.

?Walang babayaran, maliwanag kasi sa letter ni commissioner Bernardino na walang transfer fee,? said Barrios.

Barrios also added that voting among the board members won?t be necessary. If ever the Commissioner?s Office along with league?s legal department could come up with a satisfying report, Burger King could finally be present once the season-ending conference kicks off on Feb. 28.

?Pwedeng hindi [board voting],? said Barrios. ?Pero ayaw ko lang pangunahan na pag nagawa na namin ang report, ay 101 percent na OK na sa board.? 

Majority of Burger King is owned by Bert Lina, chairman of the Lina Group. Among the stakeholders include Alvarez, Manuel V. Pangilinan and Ricky Vargas of Talk N Text, Wilson Young of Tanduay and Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre. But their shares on the company were personal investments, and not company investments.