Although La Salle coach Franz Pumaren raised a valid point on the inconsistencies of the implementation of the new "no ID, automatic violation rule", league commissioner Chito Narvasa remained firm to uphold the rule when reached for comment on Monday.

Pumaren expressed his disgust over the technical foul violation that was slapped on him even before the La Salle-Ateneo hostilities started Sunday afternoon for failing to wear the official UAAP ID before stepping into the playing court, which is already required of all the members of each team's coaching staff every gameday.

Pumaren still hasn't gotten the hang of wearing an ID.

Chris Tiu was instantly awarded two free throws which gave Ateneo a 2-0 lead even before the clock winded down from 10:00 in the very first quarter.  

"Very inconsistent, parang may double standard naman ata, when this was made, was it going to be just a selective rule? During the University of Santo Tomas-University of the East game, I did not see coach Pido Jarencio wearing an ID," remarked Pumaren.

True, UST coach Pido Jarencio, through the game pictures on the different Internet websites, was clearly caught not wearing his ID during the Tigers' first match last Saturday.

However, given that the La Salle-Ateneo match is given the most importance in terms of good officiating, Pumaren, unluckily, was not spared from the officials' eye - their very first victim for this new rule in men's basketball for season 71.

The Blue Eagles eventually won over the Green Archers, 79-73, and handed their nemesis their first opening game loss in ten years.

The entire Ateneo coaching staff, coach Norman Black included, did their homework and had their IDs around their necks.

Commissioner Chito Narvasa, himself a former Blue Eagle, is tasked to ensure that officiating will be tight for Season 71. He is seen here conferring with a UAAP referee during Sunday's game.

Narvasa insisted that the UAAP has already approved of the house rule on wearing IDs during the game.

"It was approved during the coaches meeting before the season that all the members of the coaching staff must wear their UAAP IDs.  He (Pumaren) was not there and his assistants should have notified him (Pumaren) in the first place," said Narvasa when reached for comment Monday following the La Salle-Ateneo match.
     
Narvasa cited a FIBA rule which requires IDs to be worn by the members of the coaching staff throughout the duration of the game while at courtside for "security reasons."
   
The implementation of the ID system also created a stir during the recent women's division match between University of the Philippines and Adamson at the Blue Eagle Gym. A member of the UP Maroons coaching staff was also not wearing the proper identification and was similarly called for an automatic violation.