12/07/2026
COACH JESS‼️ there is one question that has never left my mind. The more I think about it, the more I feel that this part of the story deserves clarification.
Days before Bobet traveled to Manila, I remember that an official-looking Ateneo lineup for the Filoil Invitational was already circulating online. Bobet's name was included, and jersey #35 had already been assigned to him.
As someone who has followed Bobet since he became the Palarong Pambansa MVP last year, I was genuinely excited. I couldn't wait to watch him play.
When the tournament started, I searched YouTube for the game. I ended up watching the replay that evening. To my surprise, Bobet never entered the game. In fact, he wasn't even part of the active lineup. He was simply sitting among the spectators.
After Bobet's passing, I remember coming across a video or post on Facebook—I can't clearly recall whether I watched it or simply read about it—where Coach Jess asked Bobet,
"Kamusta? Nakapaglaro ka ba?"
Bobet's reply caught my attention:
"Hindi pa ako nakasama sa roster, Coach."
Coach Jess then reportedly replied:
"Mas okay 'yan. Pinag-oobserve ka muna."
That exchange has stayed with me ever since.
If Bobet's name had already appeared in the circulating lineup before he even left for Manila, why would he later say that he was not yet on the roster? What changed?
Was the earlier lineup only provisional?
Was he officially accepted into the team, or was he still under evaluation?
If he was still being observed, why was his jersey number already assigned beforehand?
Another thing that puzzles me is this.
Coach Jess personally accompanied Bobet to Ateneo and turned him over there. Naturally, many of us assumed everything had already been finalized.
So what exactly was the agreement when Bobet arrived?
Was there already an official meeting?
Was he formally recruited?
Was there already a scholarship or player agreement?
Or was he simply invited to train while waiting for the final evaluation?
I also remember Bobet mentioning that he would be receiving a ₱40,000 monthly allowance, and that he planned to give a large portion of it to his mother.
That raises another question.
Who informed Bobet about that allowance?
Had the details already been officially discussed with him?
Or was he only expecting something that had not yet been finalized?
Then another detail surfaced.
At the Team building in Aurora, around 20 players reportedly attended, but only 17 would eventually make the final team.
That made me wonder again.
If Bobet was already officially part of the roster, why was he seemingly still in a selection process?
If the final roster had not yet been completed, then perhaps no final agreement had been signed yet.
If that's true, then the allowance Bobet mentioned may not have been guaranteed at that stage.
These are simply questions based on the timeline that I personally observed. They are not accusations against anyone. I only hope these details can be clarified because, at the moment, they do not seem to fit together.
Lastly, there is one more thing that has stayed in my mind. In one of the group photos from Aurora that circulated online, Bobet appeared to be sitting quietly. I understand that a photograph cannot tell us what someone is truly thinking or feeling, and I don't want to draw conclusions from a single image. Still, from that photo alone, he seemed unusually serious and deep in thought. That is only my personal impression, nothing more.
I sincerely hope that those who know the complete sequence of events can help explain these unanswered questions. Clarifying the timeline would honor Bobet's memory and help everyone understand what really happened before he came to Manila..
Ctto
