IAN Sangalang will be taking appropriate actions against the Singaporean businessman who implicated him in an alleged game-fixing incident during the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup finals.
The Magnolia big man denied ever knowing Koa Wei Quan, the former owner of transportation firm Koa Motor, who is facing 14 graft charges in the State Courts in Singapore for influencing games played in the PBA and the Thailand Basketball League between the months of April and July of that same year.
Sangalang said he doesn't know nor was he even introduced to the 32-year-old businessman.
In a report that came out of the Singapore-based The Straits Times, Koa allegedly offered Sangalang a bribe of $5,000 to influence the outcome of Game 5 of the all-Filipino title series between Magnolia and San Miguel.
The Beermen won the game in double overtime, 108-99, to clinch the championship.
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"Hindi ko kilala yung tao na yun. Hindi totoo yun," Sangalang told Commissioner Willie Marcial after the two talked on Monday.
"Hindi ko ipagpapalit ang career at dangal ko sa ganung bagay," added the soft-spoken veteran center, who mentioned about taking legal action against Koa.
Court documents showed Koa worked with former player Leo Avenido and a man identified as Sergei Bien Orillo in fixing the outcome not only of the Philippine Cup finals, but games which also involved Blackwater and Columbian Dyip, and Blackwater against Phoenix.
The operation didn't only covered the PBA, but the TBL as well as Koa also tried to influence the result of the game between Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and Thai General Equipment through an offer made to Filipino guard Almond Vosotros.
Two other TBL games involving PEA against Mono Vampire and Hi-Tech Assumption Thonburi were likewise mentioned to have been influenced by Koa while he was in Singapore.
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It was not specified in both the court documents and report however, whether the aggrieved parties did accept the bribes.
Marcial said the PBA will continue to investigate the matter. (RG)
