Gilas Pilipinas lost another man in the frontline after Blackwater forward Mac Belo pulled out of the pool for the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
Team manager Gabby Cui confirmed the development Saturday.
"Belo (is) undergoing rehab on his knees, out for two weeks," he told ESPN5.com in a text message.
Belo was among five absentees on Thursday, when Gilas held its first practice ahead of the team's games against Thailand on Feb. 20 and Indonesia on Feb. 23,. Ray Parks, Justine Baltazar, Matthew Wright and Japeth Aguilar were not in attendance there, too.
The 26-year-old is also the third player to beg off from the pool after Christian Standhardinger (left knee) and Aguilar (honeymoon).
Gilas progran director Tab Baldwin had already said they won't add any new names to the pool, which means Marc Pingris, Poy Erram and Troy Rosario remain the only choices for interim head coach Mark Dickel, as well as non-pros Baltazar and Isaac Go.
Meanwhile in the backcourt, Parks has yet to give Gilas a heads-up after being absent in the pool's first two practices.
"No word from Parks if he's attending," was Cui's short reply about the situation of the guard, who is still undergoing contract negotiations with the TNT KaTropa.