ARWIND Santos of the San Miguel Beermen has been slapped with a P200,000-fine for his racist gesture at TNT import Terrence Jones in Game 5 of the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Finals last Wednesday night.
Aside from the fine, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial also asked Santos to render 100 hours of community service.
Santos made a monkey gesture directed at Jones in the closing minutes of the first half of Game 5 where San Miguel won, 99-94.
Monkey gestures are widely considered as an act of racism.
Santos has apologized for his behavior.
“I didn’t mean anything bad for you. I hope you would forgive me. I want to say sorry again,” Santos said in a video posted on his Twitter account on Thursday afternoon.
He also apologized to Talk ‘N Text, San Miguel and PBA.
“Inaamin ko po mali po ako. Sorry po. Sana po mapatawad niyo ako. Tao lang po ako, nagkakamali lang din po ako. ‘Yun lang po sana mapatawad niyo ako. Sorry,” Santos said.
In his Instagram account, Jones fired back at Santos for his racist gesture.
“I don’t normally post responses to negative things said about me – but as a father and a black man, this can’t be ignored,”Jones said.
“I came to the PBA to play – and to share my talent – in a country where I have tremendous respect for its culture and its people. My son is of Filipino descent. I cannot and will not tolerate racial slurs and gesture,” he added.
Fil-American PBA player Joe Devance also had choice words for Santos.
“What Arwind did has nothing to do with mind games! It shows his level of education and class!!! Sad thing is there’s a lot more who think that same way,” said Devance in a Twitter post.
Photo: PBA.PH
