Ex-PBA import back in jail

MANILA, Philippines - After landing in jail earlier this year for assaulting a policeman who arrested him, former Philippine Basketball Association import Jamelle Isaac Cornley found himself behind bars again for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

Cornley, 26, allegedly threatened to kill the 25-year-old complainant, said Quezon City Police District (QCPD) deputy director for administration Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao.

According to Pagdilao, the alleged assault happened at around 4 p.m. at the woman’s condominium unit in Barangay Kalusugan in Quezon City.

Inspector Edith Castro, head of the QCPD’s Women and Children Protection Desk, said the victim claimed she was in the bedroom when the suspect came in and slapped her four times for no apparent reason.

Police said Cornley was neither drunk nor under the influence of any substance when the alleged assault happened.

Dragged, pushed

Castro said the basketball player allegedly dragged the woman into the bathroom and hit her with the shower head while telling her he was going to kill her.

“While the suspect was holding her she was being directed to call her parents to tell them ‘I’m going to kill you,’” Castro said.

The woman did not do it. Cornley then allegedly dragged the woman to the balcony of her 15th-floor flat and tried pushing her off the building, but she managed to hold on to the iron grills.

Castro said Cornley reportedly then trashed the living room. When he tried throwing the LED television, the woman begged him to leave her alone.

He reportedly ignored his girlfriend’s pleas and demanded that she give up her cell phone. When the woman refused, Cornley reportedly grabbed a kitchen knife and pointed it at her neck.

The woman then told their helper to seek help. Policemen from the QCPD-Station 11 eventually came and arrested the basketball player.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano said the player is facing a complaint for violation of the violence against women and children law.

Asked for his side on the alleged assault, Cornley told reporters he does not want to talk too much about what happened as everything was not yet clear to him. However, he stressed that “it’s not what it looks like.”

Past assault

In March, the 6-foot, 5-inch Cornley, who used to play for the Rain or Shine team, was arrested by more than 10 policemen for assaulting a police officer.

The policeman responded to a scene at a hotel along Timog Avenue where Cornley was allegedly creating trouble after he found out his money was missing. The American player claimed the money was lost after a night of “fun” with three women.

Instead of yielding to policemen, Cornley allegedly punched the arresting officer in the nape. The policeman was knocked to the ground.