Paolo Orbeta’s long
and lonely road to redemption
by rick olivares
When Paolo Orbeta applied for the 2014 Gatorade PBA
Draft, he sighed and waited for the storm that was to come.
You see, he was once infamously nabbed in an
entrapment operation by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation
allegedly for point shaving. Orbeta, who was in his final year of college
eligibility that year in 2007, vehemently denies that. He also said that at the
time of the arrest, he was merely walking out of what he felt was a bad
situation and had no pay-off money on him.
He remembers several agents drawing their guns on
him. How he was handcuffed and tossed in jail along with murderers, pickpockets
and other criminals for several hours. How he was only given P15 to make a
phone call to his worried father some nine hours after he should have been
home.
The case was tried, investigated, and eventually dismissed.
However, even as he was formally cleared of any wrong doing, there was never
mention of it in the media.
“I was cleared by the investigating judge,” said
Orbeta who supplied the clearance from the Metropolitan Trial Court-National
Capital Region Branch 72 dated March 27, 2008.
“I even got my degree (BS in Hotel, Restaurant, and
Institution Management) and diploma from College of Saint Benilde. Siguro naman
if I did something bad they would have kicked me out.”
Embarrassed and humiliated, Orbeta not only left the
game that he loved but also the country. He worked in for a hotel in the United
States (Maine) where he was able to reflect on life.
But he decided to come back so he could be near his
son and his family. And give that old basketball dream one more try.
“I don’t want to be 50 years old or older and
suddenly regret not giving the draft a try,” he said while talking to the
author at Serenitea in Little Baguio, San Juan. “This isn’t just for myself but
also for my son, Graeme Ralleigh. How am I going to teach him how to always get back up
from setbacks when I didn’t do it myself?”
His old college coach, Caloy Garcia who now calls the
shots for Letran, says that whatever Paolo was accused of “is all hinala.”
“But…” added Garcia, “every one deserves a second
chance. I sincerely believe that Paolo deserves a second chance. He’s had years
to deal with this and maybe this is time to either reach for a dream or put
some closure on some things.”
Everywhere he goes, he knows that people whisper
behind his back. Some have no care and openly taunt him that his team won’t win
because he will deliberately miss shots and throw the game.
Years ago, he would smart from the taunts. He held
back his anger because he knew that any display of emotion would only make him
a loser. That is partly why he left so he could learn how to steel himself.
It’s not an albatross for him as he has been able to
provide for his family. “They’re like scars,” Paolo described of the whole
episode.
“Even if it doesn’t happen (making the PBA), I will
be at peace with my decision. No regrets. Besides, I have some other businesses
to provide for my family.”
Orbeta currently runs a taxi service (with a growing
line of eight cabs) and does hotel work for a multinational. “But basketball is
my passion,” he admitted. “But I know that I have only one more shot at this.”
Last August 19, during the second day of the Gatorade
PBA Draft Combine, Orbeta gave a good account of himself scoring six points
(3-7 from the field), grabbing three rebounds, and dishing off two assists
versus one turnover. “It could have been better but given the circumstances, I
am not complaining,” he assessed of his showing to the assembled pro coaches.
“It’s a tough situation,” said Alaska Aces assistant
coach Louie Alas whose Letran Knights once had to defend against Orbeta in the
NCAA. “Pero dapat i-appreciate yung ginagawa niya dahil hindi madali. He
deserves a second chance.”
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