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THE Management Committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has indefinitely suspended Saint Benilde guard Paolo Orbeta after he was involved in an alleged “illegal gambling.�

Orbeta, 24, along with three others were caught by the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation after receiving the marked money last Wednesday afternoon at Ate Em’s cafeteria near Saint Benilde.

Paul Supan, the chairman of Man Com, told reporters yesterday in a press conference that the NCAA will conduct its own investigation on Orbeta that would last three to four weeks.

Supan said through a statement: “NCAA has been very vigilant in terms of monitoring any forms of illegal gambling as evidenced by working closely with the NBI since the 81st season.�

“This season has been very quiet and incident like this is purely an isolated case allegedly involving an individual.�

“Pending the outcome of the investigation, CSB has suspended Orbeta. Therefore, NCAA is suspending Orbeta from playing indefinitely.�

Even if Orbeta will be acquitted of the charges against him, he can no longer play in the NCAA since this will be his last year.

Henry Atayde, the athletic director of Saint Benilde, said Orbeta remains under investigation with the NBI.

“We will cooperate with his parents or relatives to help him,� said Atayde. “I’m sure Orbeta was not the mastermind of this illegal activity.�

Atayde also said the CSB has suspended Orbeta to isolate the case from the NCAA.

“We don’t want our team and the league to get affected,� he said.

Orbeta and James Ryan Mangaran, 24, a schoolmate of Orbeta; Rajan Chandumal, 31, a salesman; and Aaron Raemon Elago, 24, a police inspector detailed at the PNP-PPSC Camp Crame were presented to the media by the NBI last Thursday after a sting operation prompted by a complaint filed by Wilfred Uy.

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