ARWIND Santos has been slapped with an indefinite suspension and a P100,000 fine by the MPBL following his unsportsmanlike foul against Tonton Bringas.
The MPBL Office of the Commissioner upgraded the penalty to the former PBA MVP after a review of the incident from Monday's game between Basilan Starhorse and GenSan Warriors.
LOOK: Tonton Bringas eye injury from Arwind Santos punch in MPBL
Santos was seen throwing a punch that landed on Bringas' left eye when the two were jostling for position for a rebound.
"We condemn the incident and the MPBL will not tolerate such actions, especially during the playoffs," said Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.
The league initially handed a one-game suspension and a P20,000 fine on the 44-year old Basilan forward on the advice of its technical committee.
A harsher penalty was handed down as officials crack down on fights and dirty plays that had critics labelling the league founded by Manny Pacquiao as the 'Maharlika Pilipinas Boxing League.'
Two months earlier, GenSan's Michole Sorela was handed a lifetime ban and a P200,000 penalty for his sucker punch on Jonas Tibayan of Mindotro.
"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," said Duremdes.
Game over for Arwind?
The ban means Santos will be out of Game Three of the South Division quarterfinals matchup between Basilan and GenSan is slated for next Monday.
It also effectively ended his two-season stint in the MPBL at the end of his PBA career.
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