TNT seeks clarification over fine

Talk N' Text walks out of Quarters game vs Kings

Talk ’N Text has asked a clarification from Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as to why it was penalized an additional P500,000 that brought its total fine to P1.250 million when it walked out and forfeited Game 4 of their quarterfinal series against the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

The letter addressed to league commissioner Renauld Barrios was delivered yesterday by team manager Virgil Villavicencio.

“We just want some clarification as to why we were fined the additional P500,000,” Villavicencio said.

Talk ’N Text walked out of the game with Ginebra up, 27-20, late in the first period when forward Ranidel de Ocampo was ejected because of a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 (F2) after he bumped hard a driving Ronald Tubid and hitting him in the face with an elbow.

TNT was fined P500,000, which, under section 32 of the PBA constitution and by-laws, shall be paid to Ginebra.

Aside from that, the commissioner also imposed an additional fine of P500,000 to the ballclub, which, according to Barrios will go to the Players’ Educational Trust Fund for the benefit of the players and their dependents.

The Texters’ share in the gate receipts and TV revenues for that particular game – which could be anywhere from P200,000 to P250,000 – has also been forfeited in favor of the nine other PBA squads.

“Maybe the commissioner missed out some of the points we raised in our letter. We’ll comply but we just want to clarify it first. Whatever it is, we’ll just wait and see,” Villavicencio added.

The Kings dethroned the Texters by winning the best-of-five series, 3-2, with a 113-100 victory in Game 5 to advance to the Final Four against the Alaska Aces.

Source: Waylon Galvez  | Manila Bulletin