Senator Manny Pacquiao who also is Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) president has filed a formal complaint at the Justice Department over alleged game-fixing, betting and point-shaving schemes.
MPBL legal counsel Brando Viernesto told Rappler that 21 individuals are involved in the complaint.
The lawyer said their team has a witnesses to prove Pacquaio’s claims.
“We have an entity that monitors the games and the stats and they give indications of red flags each game. So we have suspicions already and this was confirmed by a witness that came out,” the lawyer said.
Pacquaio has accused a certain ‘Mr. Sung’ as the mastermind of the alleged game-fixing.
The man was charged with 17 counts of game-fixing and betting as well as two counts of point-shaving.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said that they are now monitoring the suspect.
Pacquiao said players and officials received between Php20,000 and Php50,000 for the fixed games.
If found guilty, the players and officials will be banned from joining the league.
Kevin Espinosa, Kein, Emma, Serafin Matias, EJ Avila, Niño Dioniso, Ferdinand Melocoton, Nice Ilagan, Sonny Uy, Jake Diwa, Exequiel Biteng, Ricky Morillo, Jerome Juanico, Matthew Bernabe, Julio Magbanua, Abraham Santos, John Patrick Rabe, Ryan Regalado, Janus Lozada and Joshua Alcober are the respondents on the case filed by Pacquiao.
