Pacquiao suspends MPBL team

MANILA, Philippines — Upon the instruction of Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League founder Sen. Manny Pacquiao, MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes has suspended the whole SOCCSKSARGEN Team due to allegations of “game-fixing and other related scheming activities.”

Pacquiao said the decision to suspend a team in the MPBL is a difficult for him but he and the MPBL management had to take drastic actions to protect the integrity of the league.

“This should serve as a serious reminder to all other teams in the MPBL that we are intolerant to any form of cheating and other unsportsmanlike behavior. We formed MPBL precisely to promote fair play in basketball so I don’t want to hear anything that would besmirch the name of the league,” Pacquiao said.

On hearing reports of game-fixing in the MPBL, he said the league sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a probe on this matter.

The NBI has initially pinpointed SOCCSKSARGEN Team as the team that was involved in game-fixing but Pacquiao said the investigation is still on-going.

He said he would be taking over the management of the SOCCSKSARGEN Team to do some “house cleaning.”

He said instead of dissolving the team, he would take over its management and only remove those who are involved in game-fixing activities and other illegal game capers.

“Those who have nothing to do with it will be spared,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao revealed that he is already in possession of the identities of the players and team officials and staff who are involved in cheating, and would name them soon.