ARWIND Santos is in hot water after he was caught directing a monkey gesture at TNT import Terrence Jones during Game Five of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Fans were enraged by screen grabs of Santos dancing on the sidelines mimicking a monkey shortly after Jones was called for a foul with 1:05 left in the second quarter.
Santos made no effort to deny the act after he was warned by PBA commissioner Willie Marcial shortly afterwards, saying he didn't see anything wrong with the gesture.
The San Miguel veteran also played down the discriminatory gesture, saying it was part of the 'mind games' in the finals.
“Sinabi ko nga, mind games ‘yun pero sinabihan naman ako kaya hindi ko na ginawa ‘yun,” Santos said. “Dati, ginagawa ko ‘yan, wala naman warning. Okay lang. Kanina winarningan ako ni Commissioner at mga coaches ko kaya hindi ko na ginawa.”
“Ang basketball mind games. Malay mo makita niya, ma-pikon siya doon. Pabor sa amin. Mabuti na-warningan naman kami. Nakakaintindi naman kami. Hindi na namin uulitin,” Santos said.
Santos added he will not apologize for the incident.
"Magso-sorry ako? Hindi, kasi depende ‘yun sa kanya. Kung mapipikon siya, totoong monkey siya. Kung hindi ka mapipikon, hindi ka monkey. Kami, nang-aasar lang. Kami ngang magkakapatid nag-aasaran din kami.
"Sa basketball, hindi ko naman sila kaano-ano. Gusto lang namin manalo. Kung mapipikon siya, hindi ko na kasalanan ‘yun. Ganyan talaga ang basketball,” said Santos.
Santos said Marcial didn’t say whether he will be sanctioned or not.
“Warning lang kasi dati naman, puwede mong isigaw ‘yan. Kami nung time namin nung nasa Air21 pa ako, time nila Dorian (Pena) tinatawag din naming ganyan ‘yan. Pero pang-asar lang ‘yun. Parang sinusubukan mo lang mang-asar, kasi naiinis ka kasi magaling,” said Santos.
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