By REYNALD MAGALLON
Magnolia big man Ian Sangalang is set to file charges against the Singaporean businessman Koa Wei Quan whose graft cases dragged his name to an alleged game-fixing attempt in the PBA.
In a story published through the league website, Sangalang had already met with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial on Monday, April 24, and denied any involvement in any game-fixing.
The Magnolia center also stressed that he didn’t even know Koa who is currently facing 14 counts of graft charges in Singapore courts.
“Hindi ko kilala yung taon na ‘yun. Hindi ko ipagpapalit ang career at dangal ko sa ganung bagay, “ Sangalang told Marcial as quoted by the article from the league website.
Sangalang’s name was dragged into the game-fixing mess after being mentioned in a report from Singaporean broadsheet New Straits Times.
According to the article, a court report stated that Koa with the help of former PBA player Leo Avenido and a certain Sergei Bien Orillo, allegedly tried to reach out to Sangalang and bribe him for $5,000 to drop Magnolia’s game against San Miguel by nine points or more during the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup Finals.
Aside from Sangalang, unnamed players of Blackwater Elite were also allegedly offered bribes by Koa to fix their games against the Columbian Dyip and the Phoenix Fuel Masters.
Koa also reportedly tried to influence the games not just in the PBA but also in the Thailand Basketball League working with a certain Poh Wei Hao to allegedly bribe Almond Vosotros who was then still playing in the Thai league.
