The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League has upgraded its sanctions on Basilan Starhorse forward Arwind Santos following his involvement in a violent altercation during the South Division quarterfinals game against the GenSan Warriors last Monday.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the league announced that Santos has been indefinitely suspended and fined ₱100,000 for punching GenSan’s Tonton Bringas — a strike that left the latter with a facial injury.
“Upon review of the footage of the incident from last Monday’s MPBL South Division quarterfinals game between the Gensan Warriors and the Basilan Starhorse, the MPBL has meted an indefinite suspension on Basilan player Arwind Santos,” the statement read.
“We condemn the incident and the MPBL will not tolerate such actions, especially during the playoffs,” said MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.
“The league has the full authority to impose sanctions on this deplorable act, and we hope that our measures help put these behaviors to an immediate end.”
The incident took place with 8:31 remaining in the game on October 20, when tempers flared between Santos and Bringas during a box-out sequence.
Santos retaliated with a punch that prompted his immediate ejection from the contest.
Basilan went on to escape with a 116-114 double-overtime victory, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 on October 27 at the Olivarez College Gym.
Originally, the MPBL imposed a one-game suspension and a ₱20,000 fine, but following further review of the game footage and reports, the league decided to intensify the penalty.
The 44-year-old Santos has been averaging 9.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks this MPBL season for the Basilan Portmasters.
