Abueva in heat, heart of it

Ugly incidents mark 2-0 series

MANILA, Philippines — Magnolia forward Calvin Abueva is in hot water after getting involved in heated incidents in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals last Sunday at the MOA Arena.

In the fourth quarter, Abueva had a verbal altercation with San Miguel Beer coach Jorge Gallent and as he made it to the Magnolia bench was seen making a gesture purportedly mocking Gallent’s eye disability.

Post-game, Abueva got engaged in a profanity-filled shouting match with Aida Tautuaa, the wife of SMB big man Mo Tautuaa, as they made their way to the exits.

After initially leaving, “The Beast” returned with his wife, Sam, and they tried to confront Aida anew, who by then had Mo by her side. Security and coaches helped prevent things from escalating despite Abueva challenging Tautuaa to a fistfight at one point.

“We’re investigating and clarifying things,” PBA commissioner Willie Marcial told The STAR yesterday.

“Nakausap ko na ang San Miguel management pati si Mo and right now, nag-ga-gather muna kami ng videos at mga taong naka-witness. After this, pag-uusapan ng technical group then kakausapin ko yung dalawang players.

“May sanction ito,” stressed Marcial, who declined to elaborate the likely penalties.

Tautuaa’s wife, in a social media post, said the incident started when she walked past Abueva en route to the restroom and “he smirked at me, nodded his head up and down and said, ‘Yeah’ laughing.”

“I said ‘WTF is wrong with you’ and kept walking. He walked after me and literally got in my face,” wrote Aida.

Abueva denied he smirked at her and even claimed that it was Tautuaa’s wife who was disrespectful.

“Dumaan siya dito, hinihintay ako ng anak ko, and then sabi niya ‘WTF are you smiling?’ Sino siya para i-smile ko siya,” said Abueva. “Bakit niya ako ginanun? Hinihintay ko asawa ko tapos gaganunin niya ako.”

Marcial said Abueva will also be asked to explain his side in the incident with Gallent.

Asked in the post-game presscon, Gallent downplayed it and even made a joke of their heated exchange.

“Ililibre ko daw siya ng steak. Then he said he wanted kaldereta, so I got to buy that tomorrow,” said Gallent, who wears an artificial eye after losing his right eye in a motorcycle accident in 1988.