John Amores sells Sara Duterte letter, JRU jersey to Boss Toyo
MANILA, Philippines — Controversial basketball player John Amores sold two key "memorabilia" he owned to entrepreneur Jayson Luzadas, better known as Boss Toyo.
Amores gained infamy during his collegiate days while playing for Jose Rose University (JRU) when, during a 2022 game against College of St. Benilde, he began punching opposing players after a referee's call set him off.
The incident resulted in Amores' indefinite ban from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and suspension and eventual expulsion from JRU's basketball program.
He had a chance of redemption after being drafted NorthPort in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) the following year. But his license to play professional basketball was revoked following his involvement in a Laguna shooting incident.
Amores allegedly fired shots at a man he had an altercation with during a pickup game involving a P4,000 bet last September, leading to an attempted homicide lawsuit.
In a video uploaded on Boss Toyo's YouTube channel last January 13, Amores visited the entrepreneur's pawn shop to sell one of his JRU jerseys he claims he wore during the JRU-Benilde scuffle as well as a letter he received from Vice President Sara Duterte following the Laguna encounter.
Related: Amores license revoked
Boss Toyo said the items would only be of true value if Amores indeed continued to change his ways, or else he would be taking the vice president's words for granted.
Because Amores did not give a starting price, Boss Toyo offered to purchase both items for P15,000, which Amores counter-offered for P200,000.
The entrepreneur pointed out a signed jersey by Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors would go for P80,000, meanwhile, Amores' was a "controversial jersey."
After Amores denied Boss Toyo's new offer of P20,000, the latter called a basketball expert who estimated the jersey's price would be no more than P30,000, but with the letter would go up to P35,000.
A colleague in Boss Toyo's store added that Sara's letter is of value given it was used as ammunition against Amores, which the player said led to rumors the vice-president gifted him a resort and a gas station, and placed it between P15,000 and P20,000.
The two men eventually agreed on P67,500 for both items and Amores, who signed both his jersey and the framed letter, promised the money would be used to kick-start a lechon business he is planning. — With reports from Olmin Leyba
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