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Burger King’s Arboleda suspended for rest of season
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
WYNNE Arboleda paid a hefty price for his failure to control his anger.
In an unprecedented decision, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) yesterday slapped Arboleda with its harshest
punishment yet involving a fight between a player and a fan, banning the Burger King guard for the rest of the 2009-2010
season without pay.
The verdict was handed down late afternoon hours after the 2008-09 Defensive Player of the Year appeared before
Commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios to explain the reason behind his ugly act wherein he kicked and punched a fan –
Allain Katigbak – four times before being restrained in the second quarter of the Whoppers’ game against Smart-Gilas last
Sunday.
The decision means that the stocky, 5-foot-11 playmaker will lose P2.7 million in salary, excluding bonuses from won
games.
It is by far the stiffest penalty the PBA has ever meted out against a player for hurting a fan, and the second harshest since
the league banned Rudy Distrito for life in 1995 for the hard foul he committed against Jeffrey Cariaso in the Finals of the All-
Filipino Conference.
Arboleda was additionally punished with a one-game suspension and a P20,000 fine for incurring two flagrant fouls-1.
Arboleda, a son of a tricycle driver and a housewife who managed to make a name for himself in the league because of his
rugged defense, will start serving his ban tomorrow when Burger King meets San Miguel Beer.
In his letter to Arboleda, Barrios underscored the serious consequences of the former MLQU player’s act, saying: “As we
pointed out to you, even granting that said fan was foul-mouthed and verbally abusive as confirmed by reports to us, there is
a “line” that a PBA player cannot and should not cross: to physically harm a fan.
“Your serious breach of this line and in the manner described herein endangers the PBA as being perceived by the public
as unwholesome and not deserving of fan support.”
Barrios ended his letter by saying that a repetition of his acts will result in a lifetime ban from the league.
Barrios added that the PBA must send a strong signal that such an unwanted act has no place in the league and will never
be taken lightly, stressing that the fans’ interest is always the league’s primary concern as established by the PBA
forefathers through the years.
Arboleda was ejected at the 6:00 mark of the second quarter of Burger King’s game against the Nationals after drawing his
second flagrant foul-1. But before he left the contest for good, he confronted Katigbak, a Smart-Gilas fan and a huge
follower of Chris Tiu.
Arboleda approached Katigbak, who was sitting at the special ringside section across the Burger King bench, and said:
“Ano gusto mo?” He then charged at the fan and kicked him on the stomach before unleashing the full force of his ire with
four straight punches.
Katigbak, who was verbally abusive, didn’t put up a fight and merely covered his head with his two arms. After the incident,
he was escorted out of the playing court, still cussing and throwing dirty fingers at Arboleda. He later on proceeded to the
Central Police District’s station 7 to file formal charges.
While serving his suspension, Arboleda cannot be present at the playing venues during Burger King’s games.
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
WYNNE Arboleda paid a hefty price for his failure to control his anger.
In an unprecedented decision, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) yesterday slapped Arboleda with its harshest
punishment yet involving a fight between a player and a fan, banning the Burger King guard for the rest of the 2009-2010
season without pay.
The verdict was handed down late afternoon hours after the 2008-09 Defensive Player of the Year appeared before
Commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios to explain the reason behind his ugly act wherein he kicked and punched a fan –
Allain Katigbak – four times before being restrained in the second quarter of the Whoppers’ game against Smart-Gilas last
Sunday.
The decision means that the stocky, 5-foot-11 playmaker will lose P2.7 million in salary, excluding bonuses from won
games.
It is by far the stiffest penalty the PBA has ever meted out against a player for hurting a fan, and the second harshest since
the league banned Rudy Distrito for life in 1995 for the hard foul he committed against Jeffrey Cariaso in the Finals of the All-
Filipino Conference.
Arboleda was additionally punished with a one-game suspension and a P20,000 fine for incurring two flagrant fouls-1.
Arboleda, a son of a tricycle driver and a housewife who managed to make a name for himself in the league because of his
rugged defense, will start serving his ban tomorrow when Burger King meets San Miguel Beer.
In his letter to Arboleda, Barrios underscored the serious consequences of the former MLQU player’s act, saying: “As we
pointed out to you, even granting that said fan was foul-mouthed and verbally abusive as confirmed by reports to us, there is
a “line” that a PBA player cannot and should not cross: to physically harm a fan.
“Your serious breach of this line and in the manner described herein endangers the PBA as being perceived by the public
as unwholesome and not deserving of fan support.”
Barrios ended his letter by saying that a repetition of his acts will result in a lifetime ban from the league.
Barrios added that the PBA must send a strong signal that such an unwanted act has no place in the league and will never
be taken lightly, stressing that the fans’ interest is always the league’s primary concern as established by the PBA
forefathers through the years.
Arboleda was ejected at the 6:00 mark of the second quarter of Burger King’s game against the Nationals after drawing his
second flagrant foul-1. But before he left the contest for good, he confronted Katigbak, a Smart-Gilas fan and a huge
follower of Chris Tiu.
Arboleda approached Katigbak, who was sitting at the special ringside section across the Burger King bench, and said:
“Ano gusto mo?” He then charged at the fan and kicked him on the stomach before unleashing the full force of his ire with
four straight punches.
Katigbak, who was verbally abusive, didn’t put up a fight and merely covered his head with his two arms. After the incident,
he was escorted out of the playing court, still cussing and throwing dirty fingers at Arboleda. He later on proceeded to the
Central Police District’s station 7 to file formal charges.
While serving his suspension, Arboleda cannot be present at the playing venues during Burger King’s games.