MANILA, Philippines — With the country's hosting of the M5 World Championship, Mobile Legends Bang Bang fans are all eyes on the different team roster announcements for the coming Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines (MPL PH) Season 12.
Probably the biggest news from a week's worth of announcement came from three-time MPL PH champions Blacklist International. This as top duo V33Wise, Johnmar “OhMyV33NUS” Villaluna and Danerie “Wise” Del Rosario, will once again be taking a season break. The duo had taken a break during MPL PH Season 9 to focus on their stint with Sibol in the 31st Southeast Asian Games, wherein they won a gold medal.
In their absence comes the return of Salic “Hadji” Imam, who will serve as team captain, and goldlaner Kiel “OHEB” Soriano, who played in the development league during the previous season. Meanwhile, former head coach Kristoffer “Bon Chan” Ricaplaza will also make a return to assist head coach Aniel “Master the Basics” Jiandani.
Returning to the professional scene is MPL PH Hall of Legends inductee and M2 World Champion Carlito "Ribo" Ribo for Omega Esports. He was part of the inaugural Mobile Legends Development League Philippines (MDL PH) as a member of ZOL Esports. Joining him for the barangay are returning players Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog and Patrick “E2max” Caidic, who comes back after being part of the coaching staff the previous season, while star player Duane “Kelra” Pillas will shift roles from goldlaner to the team's jungler.
MPL PH Season 9 champions RSG Philippines welcome back Arvie “Aqua” Calderon while John “Irrad” Tuazon, who wowed fans during the previous season, is promoted to the team's main jungler. For his part,John Paul "H2wo" Salonga will be taking a break for the season.
Former Omega Esports jungler Dean “Raizen” Sumagui with former TNC players midlaner Jomarie “Escalera” Delos Santos and EXP laner Mark “Kramm” Rusiana will be headlining a revamped ONIC Philippines roster, while Ben "Benthings" Maglaque will be leading TNC's six-man roster after the transfer of his former teammates. Minana EVOS, former Nexplay EVOS, will see Jeniel "YellyHaze" Bata-anon move from a player role to part of the coaching staff.
The current Sibol representatives for Mobile Legends, AP Bren, will be retaining their 32nd SEA Games gold medalist roster as they also compete in the World Esports Championships of the International Esports Federation in Iasi, Romania. Meanwhile, defending champions ECHO will be fielding their M4 World Championship roster with the return of veteran Jaypee "Jaypee" Dela Cruz to the professional scene after leading ECHO Proud to the inaugural MDL crown.
MPL PH Season 12 is set to begin sometime in September.