Jeron Teng escapes serious harm

Alaska rookie Jeron Teng could’ve suffered career-threatening injuries but escaped serious harm in sustaining three stab wounds in a senseless altercation at a Bonifacio Global City parking lot early Sunday morning. Teng’s parents Alvin and Susan said God saved their son from a horrible fate.

Teng, 24, Norbert Torres, 28 and Thomas Torres, 23 – all former La Salle teammates – were on the way to their cars to go home when they were allegedly accosted by a gang. Teng was with his girlfriend Jeanine Tsoi. Teng and Norbert had just finished playing in the PBA hours earlier. Teng’s team Alaska beat GlobalPort while Norbert’s team Rain Or Shine defeated Magnolia in overtime. They went out for dinner to celebrate.

According to sources, the gang taunted Teng and his companions and it got testy when one alleged provocateur dissed Jeanine who pleaded for the harassing to stop. Suddenly, the gang jumped on Teng and both Torreses with knives. The taunters included an American citizen. A brawl ensued with the unarmed Teng and both Torreses suffering multiple stab wounds in the process. Three men – aged 40, 33 and 38 – were arrested, brought to the BGC precinct, handcuffed and hauled to the Taguig jail. One of the three was later released as it didn’t seem like he was involved in the scuffle. The men initially said they had no knives but later admitted in a TV interview they were armed since it was obvious Teng and the Torreses were stabbed. A source claimed the men were part of a knife gang. Another source said they could have been drunk or high on drugs. Nothing was confirmed at presstime.

Teng and Thomas bled profusely from their wounds and were rushed to the St. Luke’s Medical Center for emergency treatment by Teng’s girlfriend in a taxi. Norbert stayed behind the brawl scene to identify the assailants and lead police to arrest them. Norbert later went to the hospital where doctors sewed up a big cut on his arm with 11 stitches. Norbert was the pacifier during the fisticuffs and was wounded for his effort.

It appeared that the weapon used to stab Teng and the Torreses was a ring knife. But a video showed one of the assailants holding a longer blade. Teng was stabbed in the upper back and twice in the left side of his body. Doctors said the stab in the back narrowly missed his lung and tore muscle tissue. Teng underwent a procedure in the operating room to stitch the cut and stop the bleeding. The wounds in his side were close calls. One stab almost struck his heart and another, his kidney. Fortunately, Teng’s vital organs were spared. He also had a cut under his left arm.  

Thomas was stabbed in both arms. The wound in his right arm tore the triceps. He had difficulty moving his right arm after surgery. Doctors said it will take four to six weeks for Thomas’ wounds to heal then he’ll do rehab to get back in basketball shape. He could miss up to two months of games. On June 12, Thomas would’ve made his Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) debut with the Mandaluyong squad with former La Salle teammate Prince Rivero and Ray-Ray Parks.

Teng has been instructed by doctors to refrain from activity and movement for four weeks to allow his wounds to properly heal, particularly the muscle in his back. After about a month, Teng will return to practice, hoping to rejoin the Aces in their push for a playoff berth. Alaska’s record is 5-1 and after losing their conference opener to Rain Or Shine in overtime, the Aces have rolled to a five-game winning streak. Norbert’s squad Rain Or Shine is also going strong with a 6-1 slate. 

Healing priest and the Tengs’ close family friend Fr. Joey Faller visited the Alaska player in the hospital last Sunday for a pray-over. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial and La Salle and Aces officials called on Teng to show support. 

The incident is why President Duterte is cracking down on thugs, hooligans, drug dealers and criminals to bring about peace and order all over the country. If celebrities like popular basketball players can be victims of dastardly acts, what more ordinary citizens who are helpless against provocateurs wielding weapons? This disturbing case of violence is something that cannot be dismissed. Citizens must be protected from the bad guys and law enforcement agencies must be on the ball to make sure situations like what happened Sunday morning are kept isolated or eradicated. But beyond that, government must address the major issue of what drives the bad guys to do bad. Meantime, let’s thank the Lord for sparing Teng and the Torreses from major injuries.