2021 Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup game-fixing scandal

Lapu Lapu City Heroes vs. Siquijor Mystics
Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup 1st Conference

Lapu Lapu City Heroes Siquijor Mystics 27 13
Match abandoned at half-time
1st half 2nd half Total Lapu Lapu City Heroes 24 3 27 Siquijor Mystics 5 8 13
Date	April 14, 2021
Venue	Alcantara Civic Center, Alcantara, Cebu

The 2021 Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup game-fixing scandal revolves around the game between the Lapu-Lapu City Heroes and the Siquijor Mystics during the 2021 1st Conference of the newly-established Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup held on April 14, 2021. The game was called off at half-time with the score line of 27–13, with Lapu-Lapu City leading. The game was subject to controversy due to "lack of respect for the game" displayed with both teams missing an unusual amount of free throws and was marred by suspicion that there was game fixing involved.

Background

The Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup is a professional regional league featuring teams from Visayas and Mindanao. The league's inaugural conference opened on April 9, 2021 with the Visayas leg, which took place in a bubble in Alcantara, Cebu due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines at that time. ^[1]

Heading into the game, Siquijor lost its first game to Mandaue (46–66) but won its second game against the Dumaguete Warriors (105–100). Meanwhile, Lapu Lapu City registered a 75–61 win in their first game against Tabongon Voyagers. ^[1]

Match details

The game was marred by several failed free throw and layup attempts by players of both the ARQ Builders-Lapu-Lapu City Heroes and the Siquijor Mystics. ^[2] In the first quarter, the Siquijor Mystics only scored five points with the Lapu Lapu City Heroes responding with 24 points. In the second quarter, both teams scored low with the Mystics only converting eight of their shots and the Heroes only scoring four points. ^[3] The game was halted at half-time and a press release by the league initially cited a power outage at the venue as the reason for the stoppage which makes the livestreaming of the game unfeasible despite the availability of a power generation on site. ^[4] The score line stood 27–13 in favor of the Heroes. ^{[2] [5]}

The Mystics failed to convert all of their 10 free throw attempts while they have allowed the Heroes to make 20 attempts. Both teams missed an unusual amount of free throws. The Mystics were also noted to have been able to score only one point despite having many fastbreak attempts. Heroes player Rendell Senining's attempt was also noted for missing both of his free throw attempt; with the first one made using his left hand and the second one attempted using his right hand. ^[3] Play was also briefly stopped after a power interruption mid-way into the second quarter prior to the game's stoppage at half time. ^[4]

April 14, 2021

ARQ Builders-Lapu-Lapu City Heroes	27–13	Siquijor Mystics
Scoring by quarter:24–5, 4–8, game abandoned

Alcantara Civic Center, Alcantara, Cebu

Aftermath

Initial reactions

The outcome of the game had widespread negative reception among the Philippine basketball community with noted players from the Philippine Basketball Association calling out the "lack of respect" for the sport during the game. ^[2] Title sponsors of VisMin, Bounty Agro Ventures said they could withdraw their support if not sanctions for erring parties would not be made. The company also alleged there was game fixing involved. ^[6]

Heroes team owner Jason Arquisola maintained that his team intends to win the league title and alleged the opposing team did not, while admitted that his own players could have managed themselves better. ^[7] Heroes player Rendell Senining who was noted for his failed free throw attempts using both his left and right hands in two separate attempts, maintained there was no game fixing on his team's part and the Heroes' conduct was due to frustration over the Mystics' play. Speaking for the team, he said the whole team felt that the Mystics were "disrespecting the game". Entering the second quarter, he narrated that the Heroes' head coach asked the opposing team to play properly. In a bid to have the game stopped, Senining said that the Heroes' players decide among themselves to have the "served back" the type of play the Mystics are using against them. ^[8] Senining has also apologized for his role in the incident. ^[9]

VisMin league management also learned the Siquijor Mystics had no formal connections with the local government of Siquijor province, which led to the management issuing a letter of apology to Zaldy Villa, the province's governor and Jake Villa, the province's congressman for admitting the team to the league. ^[10]

Sanctions

The night after the game, the VisMin management decided to expel the Siquijor Mystics from the league and ban its players and coaches from joining other participating teams in the league. Coaches and players of the Lapu Lapu City Heroes were also suspended for the remaining of the first round of the Visayas leg and was also fined. ^[11] The league management also released a statement clarifying that the Heroes' coaches were fined for unprofessional behavior rather than being involved in game fixing. ^[12] In addition, any records of games involving the Siquijor Mystics during the conference were nullified.

The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) also launched its own investigation on the incident, which could revoke the license of erring players and coaches. ^[13] The investigation concluded in October 2021 with GAB revoking the licenses of 10 Mystics players and suspending both officials and players from both teams. ^[14]

The following are the sanctions imposed for each team by the league: ^[15]

Sanctions on players

ARQ Builders Lapu Lapu City Heroes Player Sanction Rendell Senining Season suspension and ₱30,000 fine Jercules Tangkay First round suspension and ₱15,000 fine Reed Juntilla Monbert Arong Dawn Ochea Ferdinand Lusdoc

Siquijor Mystics Player Sanction Jan Cedric Penaflor Expulsion from the league and ban for each player to join another team Michael John Calomot Frederick Rodriguez Gene Belleza Jopet Quiro Isagani Gooc Juan Andre Aspiras Desmore Joshua Alcober Vincent Tangcay John Peter Buenafe Ryan Clarence Buenafe Miguel Castellano (who was nursing an injury) and Michael Sereno (who did not enter the Alcantara bubble) have been cleared by the league. [16]

Sanctions on officials

Lapu-Lapu City Heroes Official Position Sanction Francis Auquico Head coach First round suspension and ₱30,000 fine Jerry Abuyador Assistant coach ₱20,000 fine Alex Cainglet Coaching staff member Jon Carlo Nuyles Hamilton Tundag Roger Justin Potot

Siquijor Mystics Official Position Sanction Joel Palapal Head coach Expulsion from the league and ban for each player to join another team Magenelio Padrigao Assistant coach

Performance by Lapu-Lapu

Despite their roster from being reduced to ten players, missing five key players and their head coach due to suspensions, the Lapu-Lapu City Heroes went on to compete against the MJAS Zenith-Talisay City Aquastars, a team which has not incurred any league lost at the time, on April 17 and was leading 67–-64 with only six minutes left in that game. The Heroes eventually lost 75–84 to the Aquastars but the Heroes insist they intend to win the 2021 season league title. ^[17]

References

1. "New league Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup successfully rolls out". BusinessWorld. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
2. Terrado, Reuben. "GAB probes 'strange' VisMin Cup match between Lapu-Lapu, Siquijor". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
3. "GAB to execute 'decisive action' on Lapu Lapu-Siquijor case". Tiebreaker Times. April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
4. "Lapu Lapu-Siquijor VisMin tilt postponed due to technical difficulties". Tiebreaker Times. April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
5. Ramos, Gerry (April 18, 2021). "SBP wants VisMin Cup 'culprits' banned from all basketball". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
6. "VisMin Cup sponsor demands swift sanctions after controversial game". ABS-CBN News. April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
7. "ARQ Builders owner: Heroes committed to one thing only — winning the title". Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
8. Lozada, Bong (April 16, 2021). "Senining says frustration, not game-fixing, led to Lapu-Lapu's actions in bizarre game". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
9. "Rendell Senining sorry for missed FTs, says team was upset by Siquijor's actions". ESPN.com. April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
10. Li, Matthew (April 23, 2021). "VisMin apologizes to Siquijor for accepting Mystics team". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
11. Lozada, Bong (April 15, 2021). "Siquijor Mystics expelled from VisMin Super Cup; players, coaches fined". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
12. Li, Matthew (April 23, 2021). "VisMin clarifies: ARQ Lapu-Lapu coaches not fined for game-fixing". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
13. Li, Matthew (April 15, 2021). "Siquijor Mytics still not off the hook from GAB". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
14. Li, Matthew (October 22, 2021). "GAB revokes licenses of Ryan Buenafe, nine others as VisMin investigation concludes". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
15. Moraleda, Rhan (April 17, 2021). "Unprofessional And Disgraceful Acts, Not Game-fixing Led To The Suspension, Fine, Expulsion And Ban to Siquijor and Lapu-Lapu". Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
16. "Two Siquijor players escape lifetime ban from VisMin league". ABS-CBN News. April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
17. "Jerick Cañada: ARQ Builders are here to win". Sunstar. April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.