RAIN or Shine assured that it remained committed to the PBA and has full confidence in Commissioner Chito Salud after being assessed a record P2 millon fine for the team's 'partial walkout' in Game Six of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Mig.
Rain or Shine governor Mamerto Mondragon said the team didn't oppose the fine - the biggest assessed a team over a 'game-related incident' in league history - since the amount of the penalty, as Salud said, was precisely stated in the league's by-laws.
“Ayos naman ang kuwentuhan namin, saka with respect to the fine, wala naman daw siyang (Salud) magagawa dahil board decision iyan, eh okay lang sa amin," said Mondragon, who was accompanied to the meeting by owners Terry Que and Raymund Yu, team manager Boy Lapid, and coach Yeng Guiao.
"Wala naman din kaming magagawa since board decision nga iyan,” he added. “Iyun ang rule eh, so babayaran namin yun (P2 million fine).”
However, Mondragon, a lawyer, said Rain or Shine officials took advantage of the meeting to appeal that Salud be more vigilant when it comes to officiating as well as controversial trades among sister teams deemed as lopsided by the fans.
He said the Rain or Shine contingent made a unilateral appeal before the league chief to continually “improve the officiating” and make sure that “trades done among member ballclubs” be fair to ensure parity in the 39-year-old professional basketball cage league.
“Nandito kaming lahat para ma-improve 'yung perception na mali, particularly the officiating and the trades, at sinabi naman ni commissioner na aayusin daw niya,” he said.
“Patuloy naman ang kumpiyansa namin sa aming commissioner. Saka nangngako naman siya na mas lalo siyang magiging mahigpit,” he added.
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