MANILA – Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) owner Manny Pacquiao has slapped SOCCSARGEN Marlins with a suspension for alleged game-fixing.
In a memo released on Monday, Pacquiao said the Marlins was set to be investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation if the allegations against the expansion team had basis.
During the start of the 2019-2020 MPBL Lakan Cup, Pacquiao promised to crackdown on game-fixing in his league and recently reports about Marlins’ alleged shenanigans reached him.
The Marlins has yet to win in 18 games and curiously lost all its games by an average margin of 18.6 points.
Among the players of the Bong Melocoton-mentored team were Abraham Santos, Norman Gonzales, Exe Biteng, RJ Diwa, Joshua Alcober, Julio Magbanua, Jerome Juanico, Janus Lozada, Excell Nocos, Hamsar Macantal, and Spencer Eman.
With the suspension of the current composition of the team — from coaches to players – Pacquiao and his team will take over the franchise until things are resolved or a new team owner takes over.
One sure player in the revamped Marlins team was former Valenzuela Classic player Orin Catacutan while negotiations were still underway to acquire Mark Tallo, who was recently released by Bacolod Master Sardines./PN
