SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – Good thing Raymar Jose’s flagrant foul infraction had been downgraded from penalty 2 to penalty 1.
Otherwise, it could have been one costly sanction for the Meralco big man.
Jose was spared a hefty fine after his FFP2 violation was downgraded to FFP1 following a review of the incident between him and KG Canaleta in the waning seconds of the Bolts’ 89-85 win over the Blackwater Elite in the PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday at the Angeles University Foundation gym.
The reduced penalty meant just a P5K sanction for the former Far Eastern University standout instead of the regular P20K fine that goes with every FFP2 infraction.
Considering Jose was fielded in only during the final 20 seconds of the game, that would've meant a P1,000 fine for every second he was on the floor had the FFP2 sanction been upheld.
“Binabaan yung sa akin,” Jose curtly said on Thursday night following Meralco’s 85-78 win over Rain or Shine.

Canaleta’s FFP2 infraction however, remained as he was found to have initiated the altercation by hitting Jose in the face with his forearm. He also planted an elbow on the body of the Meralco forward before cooler heads were able to separate the two.
Both Canaleta and Jose were summoned by Commissioner Willie Marcial the day after along with sophomore guard Ron Dennison, who commited a landing spot foul (FFP1) on Meralco’s Allein Maliksi.
Dennison was likewise fined for his own infraction.
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