Abueva fined P100K for mocking SMB coach Gallent

THE PHILIPPINE Basketball Association (PBA) handed Magnolia forward Calvin Abueva a P100,000 fine for ridiculing San Miguel Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent’s physical impairment in Game 2 of the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

Photo Courtesy: PBA | Facebook

The league’s judgment was based on Abueva’s violation of a league rule that stipulates, “any person who offends the dignity of any person on account of ‘physical disability’ shall be subject to a fine not lower than P100,000.”

The mocking episode occurred at 9:52 in the fourth quarter, just after Abueva committed a purposeful foul on Mo Tautuaa. This was the Magnolia star’s fifth foul of the match, and he was subbed out.

Abueva was seen on tape insulting Gallent’s physical impairment as he walked to the bench moments after being substituted.

In the postgame interview after San Miguel’s overwhelming 103-85 win, Gallent revealed that Abueva insulted him for his physical impairment but he remained unconcerned about the incident.

“Na bulag daw ako,” explained the San Miguel coach. “It’s ok, that’s fine; I’m blind anyway,” Gallent said, explaining that he didn’t take Magnolia’s 6-ft-2 forward taunting personally.

According to the PBA, Gallent had accepted Abueva’s apologies after the player contacted the San Miguel mentor the same night as the game.

Meanwhile, Abueva caused another controversy shortly after the game when he and the wife of SMB’s Mo Tautuaa exchanged furious words on their way out of the venue.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said that both camps have resolved the issue after being summoned to the PBA office.

“Nag-sorry na si Calvin sa akin, kay Mo, and doon sa misis. Init lang siguro ‘yun ng ulo after the game and natural lang naman ‘yon,” Marcial told GMA News Online in an interview conducted just hours after summoning both sides to the PBA office.

Fortunately, Abueva was not suspended and will be ready to play this evening.

In 2019, he served a lengthy ban that lasted approximately 16 months. This was due to the bad encounters he had with former NBA player and TNT import Terrence Jones, whom he clotheslined, and Bobby Ray Parks Jr.’s then-girlfriend.

Abueva will attempt to rebound from his two disappointing finals performances as they prepare to play SMB tonight in Game 3 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.