SEN. Christopher Go yesterday asked the Games and Amusement Board to strengthen its policies against professional athletes with anger management problems, saying the likes of pro player John Amores are a bad example since he has been involved twice in violent incidents.
He said the anger problem among professional athletes is a big concern since it may lead to more violent incidents that may also pose a danger to the public watching games.
“Kindly strengthen your rules and your policies. Prevention is important here. Take a look at the issue of anger management. Because there was a previous incident, which means that the tendency is there. It was fortunate that [Amores] did not hit [the victim]. What if the victim died? Then this will be again a blame game,” Go said during the budget briefing of the GAB.
GAB chief Francisco Rivera said they will review their policies on the issuance of licenses not only to professional basketball players but also to other professional athletes.
Go asked Rivera how Amores managed to enter the PBA despite a punching spree on members of a rival team during his stint in the National Collegiate Athletics Association.
Rivera said Amores was given a professional license after signing an undertaking “which in essence is that he would behave well if he’s already accredited with the Games and Amusement Board. At that time, before the shooting incident, the Games and Amusement Board was of the view that we have to allow him to rehabilitate himself on the strength of his undertaking.
“And there was also a statement that he would undergo therapy for anger management. And on that basis, he was issued a license,” Rivera said.
Rivera, however, admitted they failed to monitor or ask Amores if he indeed underwent anger management therapy.
Rivera said that considering the “gravity” of Amores’ recent offense, “the same argument probably would no longer work for him.”
He said the PBA is investigating Amores as a matter of procedure.
“And the investigation could potentially involve his expulsion from the league. And once that’s done, the Games and Amusement Board could, as a result, cancel his registration with us,” Rivera said.