No charges will be filed, but the SM Mall of Asia Arena management will hold those responsible accountable for the damages caused following Ginebra’s narrow win over TNT in Game 2 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
A billing statement from the venue will be sent to the league’s office, which will then forward it to TNT after a large dent was discovered in their designated locker room wall.
“Hinihintay lang namin ‘yung billing statement at tsaka namin ipapadala, tapos sila na magbabayad,” Commissioner Willie Marcial told Tiebreaker Times.
Once it’s relayed, the team will then determine among the players or coaches who should be held accountable and deduct the amount from their salary.
There is still no word yet as to who or what the culprit was behind the damaged wall, which symbolized how emotional the encounter was that saw the Kings take the 71-70 decision — but not before withstanding a late TNT rally.
The Tropang Giga struggled on offense most especially in the second quarter, where they only scored four points in what would become a PBA Finals record.
The crew even trailed by as many as 15 points but found enough rhythm to stage a fourth-quarter uprising. They eventually took the 70-67 lead, only for Justin Brownlee and the Kings to thwart their bid to complete the comeback.
And apparently, emotions ran through the roof that a wall was left broken inside the TNT locker room — the same place which Poy Erram retreated to late in the third quarter shortly after committing a foul on Brownlee.
The temperamental big man was seen kicking a cooler in the Tropang Giga bench before heading to the dugout, where he was caught on video kicking some of the team’s equipment clearly out of frustration.
Erram, though, would rejoin his team a few minutes later. He made his way back to the bench accompanied by veteran teammate Ryan Reyes.
No confirmation from TNT itself could be made regarding the matter after the tightly contested ball game, and even as of this posting.
But then again, as the league chieftain had clarified, the MoA Arena office won’t be filing charges despite the damage to property.
“Nangyayari na kasi ‘yan noon sa ibang venue. Minsan upuan ang nasisira, tapos pababayarin sa coaches, o ‘di kaya naman sa player,” said Marcial.
