Painters Belga, Almazan fined for ‘bad conduct’

PBA Commissioner Chito Salud yesterday fined Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga 110,000 and his frontcourt buddy Raymond Almazan 40,000 for separate unsportsmanlike conduct during a tension-filled game against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last Sunday.

Belga, the 6-foot-6 wide-bodied bruiser, received the largest penalty of 70,000, but was also fined 40,000 for taunting, provoking and scoffing at fans with the use of a dirty finger, the PBA said.

Almazan, the 6-foot-7 second-year center of the Elasto Painters, also received a 40,000 penalty for the same offense in a highly-physical game when ROS came back from an 18-point deficit to score an 82-79 victory last Sunday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Belga was also fined 10,000 each on three different instances of the game, which the Commissioner’s Office believed as “breach of conduct” after Salud reviewed the game tape last Monday.

The league said Belga planted a forearm on Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa as they were falling after a rebound play, and for intentionally landing on Eman Monfort with his knees. He also was penalized for throwing an elbow on Ginebra’s Chris Ellis.

The league classified Belga’s actions as Flagrant 1 although no suspension was given on the ROS player.

“The foregoing flagrant fouls were missed by the game officials,” said Salud, referring to referees Nol Quilinguen, Emy Tangkion and Mardy Montoya, who were reprimanded.

Salud also reminded that the fans are the lifeblood of the league and there is absolutely “no excuse for any player to engage the fans in a hostile and provocative manner”.