THE Games and Amusements Board Anti-Illegal Gambling Unit led by Gen. (ret.) Florendo Quibuyen will be in Cebu City today to file charges against Syquijor Mystics members allegedly involved in match-fixing against the Lapu-Lapu City Heroes in their Vis-Min Cup game last April 14.
“The GAB is sending a team led by Gen. Quibuyen in Cebu to file the proper criminal charges,” GAB Chairman Baham Mitra announced yesterday in the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum.
“It took all this time because we needed to follow the proper process and gathering the pieces of evidence in building a solid case against the people involved in this scandal,” noted Mitra, who refused to name the respondents until the charges are filed.
He, however, singled out members of the Syquijor squad because “unlike the Lapu-Lapu City Heroes who were deeply sorry when they were asked to shed light on the incident, the Mystics showed no signs of remorse and were even texting while they were being questioned during our inquiry.
“We will not allow the reputation of the GAB to be tarnished by this,” said Mitra, who played a key role in league’s formation, in the public sports program supported by San Miguel, the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp., Smart, Milo, Amelie Hotel and Braska Restaurant.
Lapu-Lapu player Rendell Senining typified the suspicious way things were going when he missed both his free throws, the first with the left hand and the second with the right.
Mitra also said that San Miguel player Daniel de Guzman would be given a chance to air his side after his license was suspended by the GAB for failing to appear in an online inquiry last week over his alleged involvement in game-fixing and gambling.
He also announced the holding of the third GAB Professional Sports Summit today, featuring stakeholders in esports, boxing, chess, basketball, volleyball, basketball, and football.
“I believe that one of our legacies during our term as GAB chairman is in helping our athletes earn money and have jobs despite the pandemic besides helping esports into becoming one of the fastest-growing sports activities in the country,” Mitra said.
