Taulava affirmed by DOJ, cleared of falsification charges

After playing 11 seasons in the Philippine Basketball Association, Asi Taulava has finally received his much-awaited document from the Department of Justice – a decision which affirmed his status as a Filipino citizen. The DOJ decision on I.S. No. 2005-118 was approved on May 7, 2010 by Chief State Prosecutor Claro A. Arellano, a copy of which was received by Taulava only last weekend. Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony D. Fadullon recommended the approval of the decision also signed by Assistant State Prosecutor Ma. Cristina P. Rilloraza and Prosecutor III Lourdes R. Zapanta. “He deserves it," said Bo Perasol, Taulava’s coach with the Powerade Tigers. “He’s served the Philippine team since 2002 and has started a family here. He has also played in the PBA for several years now and is one of the more senior active players in the league." Taulava has represented the all-pro national team three times – the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, Korea, the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship in Tokushima and the 2009 edition of the same tournament last year held in Tianjin. The 6-foot-9 Fil-Tongan has also played as reinforcement for the Smart-Gilas national developmental team in the tough Stankovic Cup and is expected to lead the squad again in the coming Asian Games in Guangzhou this November. Taulava said he considers the development as a “closure" to the controversy spawned by a Senate investigation in 2003 on a number of Filipino-Americans who were seeing action in the PBA. Aside from obtaining DOJ affirmation, Taulava was also cleared on the falsification of documents charge filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). - Rey Joble, GMANews.TV