BEAU Belga, Rey Nambatac, Jio Jalalon and other PBA players who have been summoned to appear in the PBA office for 'ligang labas' violations on Wednesday face heavy sanctions from Commissioner Willie Marcial.
That won't be the end of it.
Once the PBA is done with them, the ligang labas offenders will be asked to explain by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) under chairman Richard Clarin why their licenses as professional basketball players should not be revoked.
READ: Jalalon suspended for 15 days without pay
Clarin said he has already written Marcial to request information on what actions the pro league has taken against Belga and other PBA players who were caught playing in a fight-marred game in Cebu last week,
"Upon receipt [of the letter from the PBA], I will also a notice to [the players involved] to explain why the GAB should not suspend or cancel their license apart from the penalties already imposed by PBA," Clarin said.
The GAB is the government's licensing agency for professional sports and its chairman feels strongly against pro players seeing action in unsanctioned games.
"Dapat matigil na 'yang ligang labas, nakakababa ng integredad ng pro basketball lalo na PBA na tinitingala ng maraming fans lalo na kabataan," said lawyer Clarin. "Idol mo sa PBA makikita mo naglalaro sa kanto, sa semento."
Some of the offenders have already been punished by their respective ballclubs, beginning with Belga who was suspended for six days then fined 15 days worth of salary for playing in 'ligang labas' games in Cebu, Davao, and Laguna.
Jalalon was hit with a fine equal to 15 days' salary by Magnolia management, sources said, while Nambatac was penalized two days' worth of pay.
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