Singapore court charges local of alleged bribes to fix PBA, Thai league games; PBA to conduct probe

The State Court in Singapore handed 14 graft charges to local Koa Wei Quan after being accused of offering nearly $70,000 in bribes to fix basketball games in the Philippines and Thailand, according to a report by The Straits Times.

The Straits Times report said the Singaporean allegedly offered a US$5,000 bribe to PBA player Ian Sangalang “on or around April 6, 2018”. The court also heard that Koa worked with Sergei Bien Orillo and Leonidez Zapata Avenido for the Magnolia Hotshots to lose by nine or more points against the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the 2018 Philippine Cup Finals.

According to the report, prosecutors also alleged Koa worked with Orillo and Avenido to offer bribes to unknown players from Blackwater on two occasions.

The Straits Times also reported that according to the court, a bribe worth US$1,200 was offered to Almond Vosotros on or around June 24, 2018 to influence the Thailand game between Thai General Equipment and Provincial Electrical Authority (PEA) to have a 23-point spread and that Koa worked with a certain Poh Wei Hao to offer bribes to Vosotros worth $1,000 and $1,500 in two other games.

The report said Koa allegedly influenced Philippine games while he was in Singapore, while he was in Thailand and Singapore when he allegedly committed graft-related offenses in Thailand games until on or around July 22, 2018.

The Straits Times said Koa's case has been adjourned to May 2018 and if convicted of graft, he could end up in jail for up to five years and be fined $100,000.

Asked for the PBA's reaction, Commissioner Willie Marcial said they will conduct a probe for the said allegations.

"We will investigate, tingnan natin kung paano. Kailangan makakuha tayo ng evidence at dokumento," Marcial said in a phone call.

(“We will investigate, we’ll see how this could have happened. We need to find evidence and documentation.”)

The league commissioner said he only had knowledge of the allegations early this morning.

"Malalaman natin kung paano 'yan maaabatan," he added.

(“We’ll learn how we can prevent this.”)

Marcial also said should the case push through, he also wants to know how these happened. The league commissioner also said they are working with several agencies such as the Games and Amusements Board to maintain the integrity of the games.

Vosotros, meanwhile, said he was surprised about the allegations said in the news report.

"Alam naman ng lahat na naglaro ako sa Thailand ng 2018, second team ko nga 'yan after ko sa Mono. Nagulat lang ako bakit ako nadawit diyan sa issue na 'yan," Vosotros told GMA Integrated News in a message.

("Everyone knows I played in Thailand in 2018, that was my second team after Mono. I'm surprised why I'm being involved in this issue.")

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/GMA Integrated News