By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Filipino veteran Ernesto Rubillar, the 33 year old light flyweight who fought Thailand’s Wandee Singwancha last September 9 for the vacant WBC International light flyweight title without the necessary authorization from the Philippine Games and Amusements Board has been suspended for one year.

Under a GAB resolution a boxer who is accredited to fight in an eight round or ten round bout " may be allowed to fight abroad provided he won at least twice in his last three fights and has not lost three times by KO or TKO in his last five fights and the interval between the fighter’s last win and his scheduled fight must be within one year." However, Rubillar had had lost 6, won only once and was involved in two technical draws since 2003 and was not allowed to fight abroad because his fight record did not qualify.

Rubillar failed to attend the hearing scheduled last October 7 despite oral and written notices and the GAB "considered his non-appearance without valid reason as a waiver of his right to be heard and submitted the case for decision" based on the evidence presented.

Boxing manager and promoter Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who went to the GAB to inquire whether Rubillar would be allowed to fight said he did so at the request of younger brother Juanito Rubillar whom he manages. Elorde, according to the GAB decision, indicated that Ernesto Rubillar “started to look for other people to help him” and that he (Elorde) was in Tijuana, Mexico with 27 year old Juanito Rubillar who fought Jorge Arce for the WBC light flyweight title on September 4 and wasn’t in Manila when Rubillar left for Thailand for the Singwancha bout.

The Games and Amusements Board headed by Atty. Emmanuel Palabrica who is acting as chairman in the absence of Chairman Eduardo Villanueva who is recovering from eye surgery “cleared”  Elorde “of any liability in connection with the unauthorized departure and participation of Ernesto Rubillar” in the September 9 fight in Thailand However, the GAB revealed that the name of a certain Bong Obrero surfaced during the hearings as the one who helped Rubillar.

The GAB noted that Obrero was “not a licensee” of the Games and Amusements Board and is therefore not authorized to transact or negotiate for on behalf of he boxer or perform any act that has something to do with professional boxing, both here and abroad.” The agency which is tasked with the control and supervision of professional boxing warned that under present rules “any GAB licensee who transacts with an unlicensed person on matters pertaining to professional sports would  be sanctioned by the Board.”