Crispa team owner Danny Floro called on PBA Commissioner Leo Prieto to probe the league’s officiating crew following his team’s overtime loss to Toyota in their second 1982 Open Conference elimination round duel.
Probe of PBA referees sought
By Rey Bancod
Tempo
Published Tuesday Oct. 5, 1982
Crispa basketball team manager Danny Floro has asked for an investigation of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) referees in the wake of the deteriorating officiating in the league.
In a stinging three-page letter to PBA Commissioner Leo Prieto last Sunday, Floro said that “censures, suspensions, and reprimands can do little to improve officiating.”
He asked Prieto to study the activities of the referees even outside the playing court.
“Study the referees’ activities and performances and the trend is not oblivious anymore,” Floro said.
“There were reports in the past that some of our referees were being influenced by outside shady forces,” Floro said. “I did not believe this but people who watch the game say this could be true whenever the referees perform in anemic manner.”
Floro’s strongly-worded letter came a day after Crispa lost to arch-rival Toyota, 129-119, in what was described as a poorly-officiated match marred by a brawl involving four players.
Crispa’s Bernard Fabiosa and Rudy Distrito and Toyota’s Francis Arnaiz and Abe King were thrown out during the melee and they face possible disciplinary action when the PBA meets them this Thursday.
Floro branded as “unthinkable” Prieto’s statement after the free-for-all-marred match, when the PBA commissioner praised the referees “despite the hardcourt hooliganism.”
“This is the time more than ever to put more flesh in the campaign against lousy officiating,” Floro appealed.
The Crispa team manager cited several instances where the referees erred, saying they were not isolated cases. He said this renewed deep-rooted suspicion that the referees were out to discredit the Crispa camp.
Floro also asked Prieto to review the tape of the Crispa-Toyota match and observe “Mr. (Reynaldo) Victorino’s whistling spree from all angles which left his two partners hardly any breathing space to blow their horns.”
“Please count the calls made by Mr. Victorino against us and you will get some revealing issues for closer scrutiny,” Floro added.
Recalling an incident in Dagupan City three weeks ago, the Crispa owner said Victorino nearly figured in a fisticuff with Galerie Dominique’s Jesse Sullano, who was apparently irked by the former’s cal.
“We have endured the league for many years now but there is always a room for more pragmatic re-examination of the referees,” Floro asserted. “Let us not wait for the time when followers of professional basketball would think that the referees are more laughing stocks.”
It was the first time in 15 years that Floro had spoken against the referees although he claimed he has been hearing negative feedbacks in the past.
“We have been getting many calls warning us about losing our matches because of the referees” Floro told Tempo last night.
“Katulad noong laban namin sa San Miguel, may nagsabi amin, pag nagreport si ganuon o si ganuon, talo na kami,” Floro added.
Citing Prieto as a man of action, Floro batted for an immediate action before the referees lose respect from the spectators.
“One of the reasons the league was established is to foster club unity, understanding and spurring personal developments, yet some of your court officials play fast and loose with their whims to add ammo that defeats our purpose,” Floro wrote.
Part of Floro’s letter:
“Amid mounting concern, the Crispa management has decided to appeal to you not to be contended in just letting the problem ride as again the two teams’ playing confrontations are threatened by a return to another dark age that I thought ceased to exist after the 1977 season.
Last night (Oct. 2), the referees, specifically Mr. Reynaldo Victorino, caused a lot of people depressive anxiety with their calls which renewed deep-rooted suspicion they were out to discredit our camp.
I observed how the refs failed to call a foul against Donnie Koonce during a drive by Philip Cezar with eight seconds left in the match. Score was 111-all. Again in the extension, Michael Gibson was “fouled cleanly” by Andy Fields but a closer study of the tapes revealed a hand foul by the latter. Also in the extra period, a rebound play saw Fields tapping the ball out but referee Victorino ruled Gibson had the last touch although he was positioned at the back. These are not isolated cases. If you should take time, get out of your way and get better insights into the referees’ actuations, something else would be known to you.
Let me tell you about two incidents that happened while you were on vacation recently. In one of our games, referee Mateo was approached by team captain Philip Cezar to clear up some matters. The arbiter was quick to reply “angal ka ng angal. Baka pituhan kita ng pituhan.” Cezar went directly to then acting head Domingo Itchon but I did not really know if that was reported to you.
Again the technical committee must be too liberal by permitting referee Manuel to officiate an evening game although they learned that he officiated a volleyball game at San Beda in the afternoon of the same day.”
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