DOJ to indict 17 persons in 2019 MPBL ‘game-fixing’
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is By JONAS TERRADO set to file criminal charges for gamefixing against 17 persons, including members of a basketball team, in connection with the alleged gamefixing during the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) in 2019.
Game-fixing like point shaving and other machinations in sports contests are punishable under Presidential Decree (PD) No. 483 as amended by PD 1602.
The Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) of the National Prosecution Service (NPS) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, April 16, said the charges will be filed before the trial courts in Batangas and in the cities of Malolos, Angeles, Pasay, Pasig, Caloocan, and Muntinlupa.
To be charged are 12 members of the SOCCKSARGEN Marlins team, namely: coach Ferdinand Melocoton for four counts of game-fixing; and basketball players Jake Diwa, 14 counts; Exequiel Biteng, 13 counts; Jerome Juanico, 14 counts; Matthew Bernabe, 12 counts; Julio Magbanua, 10 counts; Abraham Santos, 10 counts; John Patrick Rabe, seven counts; Ryan Regalado, nine counts; Janus Lozada, one count; Ricky Morillo, one count; and Joshua Alcober, one count.
Interestingly, Alcober, now donning the Siquijor Mystics jersey, was also involved in the controversial match in VisMin Cup against the ARQ-Builders Lapu Lapu City. The organizer expelled the entire Siquijor team and slapped several players and coaches of Lapu Lapu with fines and suspensions.
Also to be charged are Quezon City Capitals coaching staff member Serafin Matias for seven counts; Sonny Uy, nine counts; and Chinese nationals only known as “Mr. Sung, Kein” for 14 counts and “Emma Meng” for one count.
The complaints involving 17 counts of betting and multiple counts of point shaving were dismissed “for insufficiency of evidence.”
OPG Spokesperson Honey E. Delgado said that Assistant State Prosecutor Maria Khristina Salumbides has released a resolution on the case dated June 26 2020.
“Naapektuhan lang ng pandemic, skeleton workforce kasi tayo ngayon (The pandemic affected the filing of the case, we are just maintaining a skeleton work force),” Delgado explained.