PBA governor wants P10-million fine for walkouts

source: Tito S. Talao | mb.com.ph

Robert Non, Barangay Ginebra’s alternate governor to the PBA board, wants future walkouts to be treated more severely by the Commissioner’s Office, recommending no less than a whopping P10 million fine to start the ball-and-chain rolling.

“Half a million pesos is too small at today’s rates. Iba ang scenario noon,” said Non by phone from his office Tuesday afternoon.

“Kung 20 years ago e kaya nang bayaran ng isang team yung five hundred thousand, ngayon pa kaya? Ilang inflation na ba ang nangyari?”

Non was referring to Anejo Rum under playing-coach Robert Jaworski back in 1990.

The 65ers were fined P500,000 – an astronomical amount then – after walking out in the second quarter of Game 6 of the First Conference Finals and forfeiting the championship in favor of Shell Rimula-X, 4-2.

Asked to react to reports that Anejo Rum was already a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation in 1990, Non said: “E hindi pa naman San Miguel ang nasusunod noong mga panahon na ‘yon. Di dapat sana walang walkout.”

Non said the league governors have requested copies of the PBA rules for immediate review.

“We have to revisit and strengthen the rules, especially on walkouts. Kailangan
maging deterrent talaga yung sanctions dahil you’re depriving fans who had paid hard-earned money to watch the game,” he said.

Non stressed he isn’t putting any kind of pressure on PBA Commissioner
Sonny Barrios.

“Suggestion lang naman ‘yon. Di naman cast in stone,” he said. “It’s up to the commissioner naman whatever revisions he thinks are appropriate for these times. Baka lang kasi obsolete na yung ibang rules.”

Non also made it clear he “isn’t zeroing in” on Talk ‘N Text, which walked out of Game 4 of its KFC-PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal series with Barangay Ginebra last Friday and was fined more than P1 million.

“This isn’t about what happened. I’m just looking ahead, kung baga,” he said. “This isn’t about them.”