RAIN or Shine coach Yeng Guiao hit out at Barangay Ginebra team governor Alfrancis Chua, accusing him of 'intimidating the referees' since the start of the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
Guiao and Chua got into a brief verbal altercation during the first quarter and went at it again after the Elasto Painters’ 97-85 win over the Gin Kings during the traditional post-game handshakes at midcourt.
Guiao later revealed his issue with Chua was rooted in the news that one of the referees was suspended after Game 2 of the Ginebra-Rain or Shine series.
“The whole story is 'yung referees, nung nagkamali… may nasuspend a couple of games ago… And I feel, as a governor, it’s not his job to keep talking to the referees in that way, intimidating them. Never na ginawa yun ni Atty. Mert (Mondragon), yung governor namin. Ang layo ng behavior,” said Guiao.
Guiao said team officials should leave the complaining to the players and coaches.
“Maybe coaches can complain. Maybe assistant coaches can complain. But I feel in terms of demeanor and ethics, yung [member ng PBA] board kung (hindi) kaya nila na pigilin yung emotions nila, they should just leave that to their coaching staff and to the players na gustong magreklamo,” said Guiao.
During the first verbal altercation, Guiao claimed Chua was saying something from the Ginebra bench, then told him to stop talking to the referees.
“From afar, tinawag niya akong ul*l,” said Guiao. “Nagkasagutan kami. I think maraming naka-witness nun. I was just asking him [to stop] talking to the referees. And from afar, sumigaw siya. Ganun lang yun.
READ Chua to Guiao: 'Ang team n'ya pakialaman n'ya, wag team namin'
"And there were a lot of witnesses. Hindi ko naman siya minura. Sabi ko lang, 'Wag mong kausapin ang referees,' which is a fair statement.”
Guiao said such actions by a person of Chua’s stature and his position will have a major impact on the referees and how the games are being officiated. Guiao said he noticed that Chua has repeatedly intimidated the referees during the semifinals.
“Nakaka-intimidate yun and in close series and there are a lot of calls that can determine the game, I’m protecting my team. At never ginawa yun ni Atty. Mert sa referee or kahit si Boss Edison na alternate governor namin. There's a deliniation doon sa roles ng staff at ng officers ng management ng team namin,” said Guiao.
“Baka pa-minsan minsan puwedeng madala siya ng emotion niya. But not everytime. Tao rin naman yang mga yan. May bugso ng emosyon pero you cannot do that for Game 1, Game 2, Game 3, Game 4,” said Guiao.
Guiao later recalled what happened during the verbal altercation after Game 4.
“Akala ko makiki-handshake siya. Nilapitan ko si Coach Tim, nag-handshake kami tapos lumapit siya (Chua). Tinanong niya ako ano raw problema ko sa kanya. Sabi ko wag mo lang kakausapin mga referees,” he added.
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