Guiao fined 100K, Hodge fined 20K for Game 2 antics

MANILA Philippines  – The PBA Commissioner’s office fined Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao P100,000  ($2,239) after the mentor’s verbal exchange with Cliff Hodge after the Elasto Painters’ 102-93 victory against the Meralco Bolts.

Guiao intentionally waited for Bolts’ Hodge and confronted him about the hard foul he committed against Raymund Almazan with just 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

After the PBA’s review, they discovered that Guiao called Hodge a “mongoloid.” 

Commissioner Atty. Chito Salud finds the conduct of Guiao unbecoming and unaccpetable on two accounts:

“First, accosting and insulting a player with total disregard for civility and circumspection; second, using the word “mongoloid”, a derogatory term alluding to people with Down’s syndrome. Its use shows a lack of sensitivity to persons with disabilities and is particularly hurtful to the class of people suffering from the disorder, their families and friends.”

Hodge closed fist on Almazan upgraded to Flagrant P2

Hodge meanwhile, who deliberately went after Almazan’s face in the rebound play with a closed fist (and hitting Almazan in the face in the process) shall be slapped with a P20,000 ($447) fine as well. 

The loose ball foul is also upgraded to a flagrant foul penalty 2 for being “excessive and unnecessary.”

Right after the match, Guiao accused Hodge of being in the league just to hurt players. 

“Punching a player, something done by Hodge, is way out of the rules. He is just there to hurt people.”

Hodge has not yet given his side on the incident.

Meralco and Rain or Shine will break their 1-1 deadlock on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the winner advancing to the semifinals to face Talk ‘N Text. – Rappler.com