MANILA, Philippines — Beau Belga of Rain or Shine, JR Quiñahan of NLEX and a handful other PBA players may find themselves in deeper trouble with the league itself after they saw action in an unsanctioned, fight-marred pick-up game in Carmen, Cebu over the weekend.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial summoned Belga, Quiñahan, Magnolia’s Jio Jalalon, NorthPort’s Robert Bolick and Converge’s Alec Stockton and Barkley Ebona for their presence or participation in the “basketbrawl.”
“Papatawag ko sila at kung hindi sila pinayagan ng teams nila sumali dyan, may sanctions,” said Marcial.”
Another possibility is for the Games and Amusements Board to step into the picture.
Belga has already been suspended for six working days without pay by Rain or Shine for his offense, which included throwing the ball at an opposing player from Sirius Stars, made up of streetballers from the United States.
The PBA players came in as reinforcement for the Cebuano All-Stars in the first of a two-game exhibition.
Quiñahan, for his part, might have his NLEX contract worth P420,000 a month rescinded. He has yet to show up for team practice due to injury and yet ended up playing in the controversial out-of-town game.
“Medyo sablay,” NLEX coach Frankie Lim told The STAR. “Hindi pa siya sumasama sa practice namin kasi nga nagpapagaling pa. Galing sa operation eh.”
Belga, Quiñahan and the others are facing more sanctions including hefty fines from the PBA. Marcial stressed the league’s penalty will be separate from the one their teams may impose, especially on those who have faced previous sanctions for a similar offense.
The game was halted after the brawl which erupted with four minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Ian Sangalang is set to file charges against Koa Wei Quan after the Singaporean businessman dragged his name into an alleged game-fixing scandal.
Koa, facing 14 graft charges in Singapore for allegedly “influencing games” in the PBA and Thailand Basketball League with around $70,000 bribes, allegedly offered $5,000 to Sangalang to alter the result of Game Five of the 2018 Philippine Cup against San Miguel.
“Hindi raw totoo. Hindi raw niya kilala yung tao,” Marcial quoted Sangalang as saying.