Saturday, December 22, 2007 Referee files case v. coach for attack after match
MANILA - based basketball referee Raleigh Relator filed a case of slight physical injury and threat against Arthro Kontra Arthritis assistant coach Jojo Lozano yesterday in Mandaue City.
Relator, a resident of Monumento in Caloocan City, said he filed the case to prevent Lozano from doing the same thing against his peers.
“I would like to stress that what I have been doing is not for me but for all of the referees, especially those here in Cebu. If Lozano can do it to a visitor like me how much more against the local referees,” Relator said in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu last Thursday evening.
Witnesses
“It (case) was already finished and we will be filing the case in Mandaue tomorrow morning (Friday). I have four witnesses who are willing to testify against him,” Relator added.
International referee Ariel Bermeo, and their local counterparts Joseph Lim, Mark Hermosa, and Ronnie Cabibil were Relator’s witnesses.
Relator said Lozano’s action was might have been sparked by a technical foul.
“I had no confrontation with Lozano. The call was in their favor. After Joseph Lim called a foul on a Misamis Oriental player, he then slammed a mineral water bottle on the floor, which was uncalled for since the call was not against them. So I slapped him a technical foul. They (Arthro) were leading by that time, instead MisOr took over the lead for good,” said Relator.
Relator was brought to the hospital after receiving a karate chop on the nape. Despite the advice to stay overnight at the Cebu City Medical Center, Relator signed a waiver and rested at the hotel where they were billeted.
As a referee since 1994, Relator admitted that it was the first time he was physically harmed.
“There were abusive words, which is natural in our profession but this is the first time in my officiating career that I was harmed. That is why I wanted to pursue this case because if I won’t, then it can be a precedent in the future,” he added.
The referees are calling on the organizers to impose sanctions on Lozano and threatened to boycott any of Arthro’s game if no actions will be made.
Due process
For his part, MVBA founder Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba said he will be conducting an investigation for both parties.
“I already asked Boy Murillo and Willy Generalao (MVBA commissioners) to call the parties involved for an investigation. Lozano will be given due process but if he will not come and air side then we will surely impose on him severe penalty,” Alcoseba said.
BAP-SBP vice president for the Visayas Michel Lhuillier, for his part, is asking the MVBA to furnish him a copy of the their recommendation since the league is sanctioned by the association.
“It gave the company (Arthro) a bad image. In basketball there is always a winner and a loser but if you hurt somebody because you lose, you will never learn your mistake. Instead of focusing on how to win the game, you have another focus if you concentrate on harassing the referees or making continuous complaints. I will require MVBA to submit a report and it will be forwarded to the BAP-SBP office in Manila for the imposition of the sanction,” Lhuillier said.
Relator and Bermeo, who was also allegedly struck by Lozano on the chest, left last night for Manila but promised to return for the investigation and court hearings.
“I am willing to come back to Cebu to officiate. I will be doing my job as long as the organizer believe in me,” Relator said. (RCM)
