By REYNALD MAGALLON
These millionaire PBA players wanted more but they ended up as losers this time.
This as Commissioner Willie Marcial cracked the whip on 10 erring players, handing total fines of P590,000 as part of the league’s crackdown on ‘Ligang Labas’ activities during the offseason.
Marcial summoned all the players involved in unsanctioned games without the knowledge of their mother teams at the PBA office before issuing the penalties on Wednesday, May 3.
Magnolia’s Jio Jalalon got the stiffest fine of P100,000 for his participation in the fight-marred Cebu exhibition game – already his second offense after also seeing action in unsanctioned games in 2020.
Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga and NLEX’s JR Quiñahan, who were both in the middle of the Cebu fracas, were meted with a P50,000 fine for participating in the game and another P20,000 for their involvement in the brawl.
NorthPort’s Robert Bolick also played in that game but was spared since his contract with the team already expired.
Other players who were also revealed to have played in a Ligang Libas were Converge players Alec Stockton and Barkley Eboña, San Miguel Beer’s Allyn Bulanadi and Vic Manuel, Rain or Shine’s Rey Nambatac and Jhonard Clarito and NorthPort’s Arwind Santos.
These players were slapped P50,000 fine each.
Marcial said the players were all apologetic of their actions but he nonetheless reminded them of their responsibilities to their mother teams. He also issued a stern warning to the violators that the penalties will be much stiffer for repeated offense.
