UE Red Warriors coach Jack Santiago. UAAP pictures
Since the original approval of the three games, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) has reduced the suspension of University of the East (UE) coach Jack Santiago to two games for “unpleasant behavior for the head coach’s behavior”.
The league canned Santiago last Saturday after the University of the Philippines (UP) instructed its student-athletes to deliberately harm Ricky Rivero in the second quarter of their game.
Basketball commissioner Tonichi Pujante said a thorough review had found Santiago had asked his players to harm Rivero.
The referee is also suspended
Pujante recommended a stay on Santiago for the rest of the first round or the next three games of the Red Warriors, but the UE coach applied for approval, prompting the commissioner’s office to reduce it to two matches.
“Violence is never an option,” Pujante said. “Let it serve as a lesson for the entire UAAP community as well.”
Santiago will also serve its suspension against Adamson University on Thursday.
One of the three game officers in the UE-UP match has also been suspended for one match. The erring referee was able to listen to Santiago’s instructions to his players but failed to act on them.
The league did not release the referee’s name due to confidentiality.
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