Team manager says Cagayan Valley leaving D-League, accuses league of favoritism

MANILA, Philippines – Cagayan Valley Rising Suns team manager Frederic Collado was not happy with the verdict handed out by the PBA Commissioner’s Office on team head coach Alvin Pua for his actions during a D-League game on Thursday, May 14.

Pua, who assaulted referee Benjie Montero, was given a lifetime ban from all PBA-related events and was fined P500,000. Collado was also fined P20,000 for comments he made after the D-League game as he claimed it was the arrogance of the referee that led to Pua’s attack.

Montero received a cut on his face and was rushed to a hospital.

Pua was summoned to the PBA Commissioner’s Office on Friday, May 15, for his actions but didn’t show up. Instead, Collado and a Cagayan Valley assistant coach went in his place.

“Naghihirap na ba yung PBA para ganon sila ka-desperate mag fine?” Collado told Rappler in a phone conversation after Pua’s punishment was announced to the public.

(Is the PBA having so much troubles that this is how desperate they are with their fines?)

(TIMELINE: D-League coach Alvin Pua’s history of referee incidents)

The team manager said that the Foundation Cup will be the last D-League conference his team joins as they transfer to Joe Lipa’s own developmental basketball league, the Countrywide Basketball League. 

“Desperate na ba yung PBA kung ganito sila kalaki mag pa multa?” Collado later said again.  

(Are they that desperate to fine us this much?) 

“May pinapaburan silang teams eh,” Collado said about the PBA handling its D-League. 

(There are teams they favor.) 

He contends that last conference’s champion Hapee is being allowed to play two imports, and mentioned officiating and management as being unfairly managed. 

“Kami, sumali kami diyan para mag benefit yung mga players… para magkaroon sila nang experiences at exposure, eh ganon ang nangyayari,” he said, before later adding:

(We joined the league to benefit our players… so that they get exposure and experience, so why is this what’s happening?) 

“Punta na kami sa liga na patas… yung walang favoritism. May palakasan diyan sa PBA eh.”

(We’ll instead go to a league that’s fair… one without favoritism.)

– Rappler.com