Among the names being considered to succeed Sen. Jinggoy Estrada are Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) President Go Teng Kok, former Sen. Robert Jaworski and ex-Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez.

Christian Tan, the acting BAP President, said they are looking for somebody who will represent the interest of the association and will help in the lifting of the country’s FIBA (International Basketball Federation) suspension.

Tan, who graced the weekly SCOOP Sa Kamayan session yesterday, made it clear that the BAP is not backing out of the unification process as mandated in the Tokyo communiqué it entered into with Pilipinas Basketball last year.

What the BAP wanted was full compliance of the communiqué which, according to Tan, states that the basketball Congress will be the one to elect incoming officials.

He said the pre-arranged agreement between Estrada, then BAP President, and telecommunication tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, head of the three-man unification panel, was in violation of the Tokyo agreement.

Two days before Christmas, Estrada and Pangilinan agreed to assume the chairmanship and presidency, respectively of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the new body that will replace the BAP.

"Such arrangement is a suppression on the right of members to elect their officers. Let the Congress decide on what it wants. Give it to them para magkaroon na talaga ng basketball unification sa bansa," Tan said.

It is unclear if the BAP would take part in the Unity Congress to be hosted by the SBP on Feb. 5.

Tan said the BAP Executive Board has yet to decide on whether or not to attend the Unity Congress.

The BAP official said they are not concerned at all of reports that some of its members have quit or are planning to quit.

"Ang sa amin ‘yung affiliation hindi naman yan pilitan. If they go to the other side, then that’s their choice. We’ll go on with our business," he added.

It marks the second time in three months that the BAP will hold its congress.

Of the three presidential aspirants, Go appears to have the edge.

The high-profile, controversial sportsman once headed the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) before being replaced by current president Rep. Butch Pichay.

The fact that the BAP congress would be held at the Century Park Sheraton could be an indication that Go would be named its new president.

It also could not be determined how many BAP members will attend. When Sen. Estrada was elected president, some 50 members reportedly showed up. When he was sacked as president, only four members of the so-called executive committee signed the papers.