Basketbrawl: Moalboal sports committee to enhance security measures following post-game fight

CEBU CITY, Philippines—(UPDATED, 11:45 a.m.) The Moalboal sports committee released a statement on Monday, April 24, 2023, regarding the fight that broke out after a basketball game in this southern Cebu town. 

Footage of the fight went viral on social media, showing some players of the University of Cebu (UC) and Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) engaging in a fist fight outside the municipal gym of Moalboal in Barangay Poblacion West after a match on Sunday, April 23.

Both UC and CIT-U were among several Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) teams competing in the 1st Mayor Inocentes Cabaron Inter-Collegiate Invitational hosted by the town known for its dive spots and beaches.

READ: Mayor Cabaron taps Cesafi for cash-rich hoops tourney in Moalboal

“We share the view of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) that violence has no place in sports,” part of the statement reads.

“We have coordinated with Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy and we will submit our own report of the incident, along with the spot report from the Moalboal PNP (Philippine National Police).”

With this development, the committee promised to beef up its security measures to avoid another incident like this for the remainder of the tournament.   

“Rest assured, we will enhance our security measures to avoid post-game incidents,” the statement added.

With regards to sanctions on those involved in the fight, the sports committee said it will let Cesafi decide on this.

“Since this is a Cesafi-sanctioned pre-season tournament, we will defer to the wisdom of the league regarding the sanctions on those involved.”

A police spot report obtained by CDN Digital said those involved in the fight were Niño Atunay, Joseph Nalos, Josephairo Nalos, Eduard Clarete Jr., Key Darang Suano, and Edsel Vallena.

The basketball fight in Moalboal, Cebu happened after the game between both teams at around  9 p.m. 

The players involved in the fight, according to the spot report, sustained injuries and were brought to the Badian District Hospital for treatment. Badian is a neighboring town of Moalboal.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) spokesperson, Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, said that investigation is now ongoing to shed light on the incident.

He reminded athletes to “keep their cool” whenever participating in games to avoid incidents like this. 

This is the second ‘basketbrawl’ in Cebu over the weekend.

It can be recalled that on Saturday, April 22, another brawl happened in Carmen town, north Cebu, involving a foreign player and two PBA players in JR Quinahan and Beau Belga during an exhibition match. /with a report from Morexette Marie B. Erram

READ:  NLEX wants to terminate hefty Quiñahan PBA contract

/bmjo

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