Eleven players from Soccsksargen, its head coach and team manager and several other personalities from the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) were slapped with cases by the league for allegedly getting involved in point-shaving and game-fixing, Sen. Manny Pacquiao revealed on Tuesday.
Pacquiao, the league’s founder, showed the media the names of 21 individuals during a press conference at the Sofitel Hotel.
“The case was filed on Tuesday afternoon at the Department of Justice (DOJ),” Pacquiao stressed.
With the help of the National Bureau of Investigation, Pacquiao decided to crack the whip on erring players and officials and vowed to put all of them in jail.
“Huwag nyo akong subukan. Kundi, magkaaalaman tayo. Magkaka-lintik lintik ang lahat pag sinubukan nyo ako. (Don’t mess with me. If not, you’ll get it. Things will turn ugly if you mess with me),” said
Pacquiao, who was joined during the presser by lawyers Bong Gacal and Brando Viernesto and MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.
Pacquiao said they have reviewed games of the team and he and Duremdes are convinced that there was probable cause.
“Ipapakulong ko ang mga ito (I will these men in jail),” said a peeved Pacquiao.
“Niloloko nyo ang mga taong nanonood. Mabuti nga kinasuhan ko lang kayo. (You are fooling the public and you’re lucky that I only filed
cases).”
The players who were slapped include Jake Diwa, Exequiel Biteng, Ricky Morillo, Jerome Juanico, Matthew Bernabe, Julio Magbanua, Abraham Santos, John Patrick Rabe, Ryan Regalado, Janus Lozada and Joshua Alcober.
Head coach Ferdinand Melocoton and team manager Kevin Espinosa were also slapped with cases alongside team officials Serafin Matias, EJ Avila and Sonny Uy.
Quezon City team manager Nino Dionisio and a certain Mr. Sung, who is a Chinese national heavily engaged in sportsbetting, according to the MPBL, was also slapped.
Two other Sung accomplices, a certain Kein and Emma, were also
included in the complaint sheet.
In the meantime, the management of the Soccsksargen squad, is under the
care of the MPBL, its lineup and coaching staff, replaced.
Pacquiao said more heads will roll but the majority of those who will be punished have already been named.
“Walang puwang ang ganitong gawain sa MPBL (This has no place in the MPBL),” said Pacquiao.