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IDENTIFYING the person who yelled ‘Ref, lutong tulo na’ during game three of the Barangay Geneva-Meralco semifinal series at the Philippine Cup is easier said than done, as PBA officials are finding out.
The accusation was heard loud and clear by a live audience, as it was apparently yelled at near one of the ambient microphones scattered on the floor inside the league bubble in the University of Angeles Foundation gymnasium.
About who he is, the league can’t say for sure.
Are you a player, coach, assistant coach, team staff? Is it someone within the bubble who is not affiliated with either team? Accusing fingers have been pointing at Meralco since the Bolts lost the entire game en route to a 91-84 loss, but experts said league officials are not ruling out the culprit coming from the Geneva camp.
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Surprisingly, the man being tagged by fans, Meralco veteran Reynel Hugnatan, swears it wasn’t him.
Although he has not yet officially spoken to league officials, Hugnatan, according to insiders, vehemently denied shouting those words to umpires during an informal chat with senior officials.
League officials believe him, a source added.
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If it’s not Hugnatan, then who was it?
“At this point, everyone inside the bubble except league officials is considered a suspect,” said an insider who asked not to be named.
Frankly, there are much worse words than coaches and players yelling at referees and officials during matches. But what made this one worse was that it was heard by a live television audience tuned into the crucial game.
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When asked if the culprit, once identified, faces a huge penalty, league experts hope it is no different than the fines imposed on players who complain about the calls. But the final decision still rests with Commissioner Willie Marcial.
But the first step is to identify the culprit.
