Why Abe King is in town

By Beth Celis
Inquirer
Last updated 06:05am (Mla time) 10/18/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Abe King’s eyes were red and watery. He was on the verge of tears as he answered a question I had innocently asked.

Abe said he left the country in 1998 after his retirement from the Philippine Basketball Association, to try his luck in the United States. The former PBA cager holds a card authenticating that he belongs to the Cherokee Indian tribe.

“After 9 years, ngayon lang ako nakabalik. Ngayon lang ako makakabayad ng utang (I’m back. Now I can repay my debts),” his voice broke as he fought back the tears welling in his eyes.

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Abe said his life was not only a mess when he left the country in l998. He was also flat broke.

“Mabuti na lang may mga kaibigan na tumulong sa akin. (I was fortunate to have friends who helped me). If not for them, hindi maipagpapatuloy ng mga anak ko ang pag-aaral nila (my kids can’t continue their studies).”

Abe said he had two reasons for coming to Manila this October and one of them is to pay his debt to former Great Taste teammate Allan Caidic and ex-Toyota coach Dante Silverio, two of the three people who helped him in his time of dire need.

The third is Bokyo Lauchengco, another former teammate who is now based in the United States like him.

Dante refused to accept the P100,000 Abe paid him and instead donated the money to the PBA Legends USA Foundation, an association of former PBA cagers Abe and some of his player-friends formed to help needy retired cagers and less fortunate Filipinos here in the Philippines.

If Abe owed him money, Allan said he also owed a big part of his successful career to Abe. Allan did not elaborate.

Two of Abe’s children are currently enrolled at the University of Washington in Seattle taking up medicine.

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Abe said the second reason he came to Manila is to personally invite PBA legends like Caidic, Samboy Lim, Alvin Patrimonio, Dindo Pumaren, Manny Victorino, Vergel Meneses, Gerry Esplana, Ronnie Magsanoc and Jojo Lastimosa to play a series of exhibition games in the United States to raise funds for the foundation, where he is the chair.

Among others, the money raised will go to a medical mission that will bring US-based doctors to Manila for free services in the countryside, and also to the lawyers of Rudy Distrito who is projected to be released from prison as early as next year.

Through the help of the foundation and his sponsor from Manila, Mr. Ronnie Nathanielsz, Rudy was able to enroll in an anger management course and a computer literacy program while serving time.

Abe is here in Manila with former Ginebra assistant coach Rino Salazar who is now based in Alaska.

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HOOPVINE: Even the midgets of La Salle in Greenhills are making waves like their senior counterparts. Coach Mesi Mesia’s boys clobbered San Beda to run off with the Paya title while the Mike Fermin-mentored midgets humbled Xavier to win the Prada championship. Both feats were accomplished in one weekend… Speaking of La Salle, is it true that the Archers are treating (or have treated) the NU Bulldogs to a banquet for beating Ateneo and helping pave their way to the UAAP championship? … According to SBP director Patrick Gregorio, who’s in Phuket with the ladies cage team, the RP squad has to win versus Singapore Wednesday and Malaysia on Thursday for the No. 1 seeding. “That means we will be up against Indonesia in the semis on Friday. Championship is on Saturday,” Pato said in a text message.