INSTEAD of answers, the PBA was left with more nagging questions.

The special board meeting called to provide closure on the alleged sale of Coca-Cola’s PBA franchise – Powerade -- to San Miguel Corp. did not push through yesterday for lack of quorum.

Not one from among the three member teams of the San Miguel Group -- Petron (Ely Capacio), Ginebra (Robert Non), and B-Meg (Rene Pardo) -- were present, and so was JB Baylon, the Powerade governor. Also absent was the representative from Barako Bull.

“I am extremely disappointed,” said chairman Mamerto Mondragon of Rain or Shine. “We could have resolved very important issues, sayang.

Lalo lang gumugulo.”

The PBA Board needs 50 percent plus one out of its 10-member teams to acquire a quorum, meaning six.

As a result, the Board members who were present in the 11 a.m. meeting were left in the dark again whether there is any truth that SMC bought the Powerade franchise for a staggering amount of P100 million.

Mondragon has set another special board meeting on Feb. 20.

Present in the meeting were Mon Segismundo of Meralco, Patrick Gregorio of Talk ‘N Text, Mondragon, Al Villadolid of Air21, and Alaska’s Joaqui Trillo.

There was, however, a letter that was leaked to the media regarding Coca-Cola’s offer to SMC The letter was signed by Coca-Cola’s chairman and CEO, William Schultz.

“We hereby give notice that the company is offering for sale its PBA franchise at a price of one hundred million,” the letter stated.

“Should the company not receive your response or acceptance of the offer for the PBA franchise within 60 days from receipt of this notice, then you shall be deemed to have expressly waived your right of first refusal, and the company can now offer the PBA franchise to third parties under the same terms offered to you.”

The letter was dated Nov. 11, 2011 and directed to SMC president Ramon S. Ang.

Coca-Cola was under the SMC umbrella when it joined the PBA in 2002.

In 2006, the company bolted from the SMC Group but with a clause that if it decided to sell its franchise, it must first offer it to SMC.

Commissioner Chito Salud said that until no formal word has come from Coca-Cola, the PBA is treating the issue as ‘mere speculation’.

“Any kind of transfer of ownership has to have the approval of two-thirds of the Board. No formal letter has been sent to my office, and it just so happens that the past two weeks, media reports have been persistent that Coca-Cola has already sold its franchise.

“In the spirit of full disclosure and serving the interest of fans, I am writing to Coca-Cola for verification of these reports. It’s hard to comment on a matter I think, at this time, is based on mere speculations.

“We have a process we follow regarding the sale of a franchise. Pero hindi pa ‘yan validated. Ang tabaho ko dito as Commissioner is to get to the truth, and we will find out,” said Salud.

Salud said that he is expecting a response from Coca-Cola before Feb. 20.

Salud also is demanding clarification from Coca-Cola over the status of Baylon.

“We are seeking clarification from Coca-Cola over the status of our vice-chairman (Baylon) whether he remains to be still the governor of the Coca-Cola franchise or whether he has been replaced,” Salud said.

Baylon, reportedly in Bangkok, did not send any word or communicate with the PBA Board yesterday.

Since Salud will not touch the delicate issue over the alleged sale of Powerade   to SMC, the Commissioner bared that he will not act on the trade involving Marcio Lassiter, the No. 4 pick in the Draft, to Petron.

“The trade proposal was submitted last Feb. 7. Until we get an official word from Powerade over the sale, I will not act on the trade. You know very well that it's within the prerogative of the commissioner to either approve, revise or outright reject any trade proposal,” said Salud.

Lassiter, who contended for the Best Player of the Conference in the Philippine Cup, has been proposed to be shipped to Petron in exchange for two players who have been sparingly fielded – Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra.

Baclao was the No. 1 pick in last season’s Draft while Guevarra was picked third overall