THE “ligang-labas” controversy involving a handful of PBA players, including Rain or Shine veteran center Beau Belga, has opened a can of worms for the Elasto Painters.
Rain or Shine yesterday lowered the boom on rising star Rey Nambatac after the team found out he also saw action in an undisclosed unsanctioned match.
“Rain or Shine team management has also found that Rey Nambatac breached his PBA Uniform Players’ Contract by participating in an exhibition game,” the team said on its social media page.
“A fine of two (2) days’ worth of salary has been imposed on Rey.”
The pro league has a rule prohibiting players from seeing action in an unsanctioned game or “ligang-labas” unless they are allowed by their mother teams.
Commissioner Willie Marcial has warned the players of possible hefty fines or other repercussions if and when they are proven to have violated the rule.
The Terry Que and Raymund Yu co-owned ball club defended its decision to police its players and maintained Belga and Nambatac breached their contracts with the squad.
“Lumabag sila sa kontrata at kahit walang laro ang PBA, buo pa rin ang suweldong ibinabayad sa kanila,” the team said, replying to a comment suggesting it should increase players’ salary to keep them from taking part in unsanctioned games.
“Tapos kapag napilayan sa ligang labas, hindi makakapaglaro sa PBA? Huwag ipagtanggol ang mali.”
Belga has been slapped with an additional fine of 15 days’ worth of salary for his participation in several unsanctioned exhibition games in Cebu, Davao, and Laguna.
Marcial is set to meet next week with the cagers involved in the Cebu exhibition match that was marred by an endgame brawl between JR Quinahan of NLEX and a foreign player.
Aside from Quinahan and Belga, among those who suited up in the Cebu tiff were Jio Jalalon of Magnolia, and NorthPort’s Robert Bolick, who all played for the Northball team.
Nortball battled an import-laden Sirius Star squad that was composed of streetballers from the United States in an exhibition game at the Carmen Municipal Gym.
