PBA suspends referee Rey Yante for ‘judgment error’

MANILA, Philippines – The PBA announced on Monday, April 6, that they have suspended referee Rey Yante for the remainder of the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs due to a “judgment error” he made in game two of the semifinal series between the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and Meralco Bolts. 

According to the PBA’s official website, Yante “has been suspended for the rest of the playoffs because of a clear judgment error in the 2:30 mark of the 4th quarter of Game 2 of the Meralco – Rain or Shine semifinal series.”

The judgment error the league refers to is the technical foul Yante called on Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao for using profane language. The decision drew the irk of the Elasto Painters head coach after the match, as he called Yante a “bare-faced liar” and accused him of “inventing calls.”

“[That’s] twice now referee Yante has said that I had used profane language, and I deny that because I don’t know where he got that. He’s a bare-faced liar,” Guiao told the media after the game, which his squad won 92-82, on Sunday, April 5. 

“He’s a liar. I will say it straight to his face that he’s a liar,” Guiao added later while talking to members of the media in Tagalog. “He didn’t hear me curse and he will call a technical foul on me for using profane language that he didn’t even hear.” 

Guiao said on Sunday he planned on talking to the PBA the following day and request that Yante no longer officiate Rain or Shine games moving forward.

Yante is the third PBA referee to be suspended over the last week.

– Rappler.com