PBA OIC faces baptism of fire

MANILA, Philippines — A few days before the completion of his initial one-month tenure as PBA officer-in-charge, Willie Marcial faces a baptism of fire as he deals with the ugly incidents that marred two games the previous days.

“It’s part of my commitment in accepting the job. It’s part and parcel of the job,” said Marcial, expressing readiness to hand down verdict on individuals involved in PBA scuffles on Friday and Saturday.

Summoned to appear in the PBA office tomorrow and facing possible sanctions are Rain or Shine center Raymond Almazan, Kia forward Eric Camson and NLEX slotman Michael Miranda.

Almazan and Camson traded elbows and punches in a fight that marred the Kia-ROS game the other night at the Cuneta Astrodome.

A night earlier, Miranda was thrown out of the game in kicking San Miguel Beer’s Chris Ross in one incident at the height of the highly physical, highly emotional NLEX-SMB setto.

The NLEX-SMB game was also marred by a heated verbal altercation between Ross and NLEX coach Yeng Guiao. Ross incurred a second technical in this incident, resulting to his ejection from the game.

“It’s just a verbal altercation, and I will just talk to both coach Yeng and Chris Ross. I don’t see a need to summon them to our office,” said Marcial.

The PBA OIC, however, hinted at throwing the book at Almazan, Camson and Miranda.

Marcial deals with these individuals squarely two days before joining the PBA board of governors in their first meeting in the year on Thursday.

On top of the agenda is the process to be done in filling the vacant position of PBA commissioner.

Sources, however, say a majority number of the league board lean towards promoting Marcial from OIC to a full-fledged commissioner.

If ever, Marcial would be the 10th PBA commissioner after Leo Prieto, Mariano Yenko, Rudy Salud, Rey Marquez, Jun Bernardino, Noli Eala, Sonny Barrios, Chito Salud and Chito Narvasa.