Poy Erram is calling for better player protection after allegedly receiving insulting remarks from a fan during Game 3 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, Friday.
Although he has no problems dealing with all the trash talk, the TNT big man said that it’s a whole different story when family gets involved.
“OK lang ako bastusin … ‘wag anak ko, ‘wag magulang ko, ‘wag asawa ko. Kasi magkakamatayan tayo. Sorry sa mga words, pero ‘yun talaga,” he said.
“OK lang ako. ‘Wag nila idadamay ‘yun. Kasi ‘pag dinamay nila ‘yun, ibang usapan na ‘yun,” he added.
“Nakakabastos na kasi, eh.”
Erram actually approached the officials’ table shortly after the final buzzer sounded in the Tropang Giga’s 117-103 defeat to Barangay Ginebra, giving the impression that he’d ask about a particular call during the match.
It turns out that the 6-foot-8 slotman sought help in identifying who the fan was, which he said sat near the Gin Kings’ bench.
He once again tried to talk to officials before heading out of the Big Dome, but no one was there anymore to tend to his concerns.
“Kaya lang ako lumapit sa table official kasi gusto ko malaman. Pero hindi naman nila ako kinausap,” he said. “Ngayon nilayasan nila ako. OK lang, wala akong magagawa. Kung ganyan ‘yung gagawin nila sa akin, walang problema.”
What Erram wants is for the league to take action in situations like that, which he could and would never let pass since his parents, he said, was disrespected.
“Sobrang disrespectful lang na ganun, na dadamay nila magulang ko,” said the 33-year-old from Cagayan de Oro.
“Tapos paglapit ko roon, wala naman akong ibang ginawang masama, tinanong ko lang kung sino. Kasi kung nalaman ko kung sino, ready talaga ako makipag-suntukan. Kasi magulang ko ‘yun e,” added Erram.
He actually broke into tears during the interview with the press as he disclosed the condition of his mother, who’s still recovering from a stroke.
“Magulang ko na-stroke, hanggang ngayon nagrerecover pa rin mama ko sa States. Tapos babastusin niyo lang?” Erram said in between expletives. “Kung hindi sila [PBA] gagawa ng paraan, ewan ko na lang talaga.
“Kung iba-ban nila [PBA] ako, OK sige, gawan nila ng paraan. Basta gawan nila ng paraan na ‘yung player, maprotektahan. Kasi hindi maganda eh.”
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The 2023 PBA Governors Cup Finals is live-streamed on SMART Sports.
