Footbrawl: Cebu FA bans 3 spectators for 1 year

CEBU CITY—Three spectators involved in a bloody brawl during a recent 18-under football match have been banned from Cebu Football Association-sanctioned games for a year but still face possible criminal charges due to the gravity of their actions.

The CFA briefed the media on the sanctions after reviewing first-hand accounts and photographic evidence collated by a group tasked to investigate the brawl that took place in an Aboitiz Cup match between Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and Alcoy FC.

Lawyer Julius Entise of the CFA’s disciplinary and rules committee identified the spectators as Enrico Mongaya, Paul Chris Costin and Ricardo “JR” Pepito.

They are prohibited from coming within 100 meters of any venue of a CFA tournament for one year.

Parents of the aggrieved players, one of whom was taken to hospital with blood oozing from head wounds, have also said separately they will file charges against the three.

In a Facebook post, Nena Miyagi, mother of SHS-AdC player Kintaro Miyagi, said she plans to pursue legal action against Costin, who she claims assaulted her son during the match.

“[W]e will make sure that he and his family pay for the damages they have done to my son,” Miyagi wrote.

Mongaya has been tagged as the man caught in photographs hitting Alcoy goalkeeper Rodnel Benolirao.

Benolirao was tangling with SHS-AdC’s JM Kwan when Mongaya rushed to the former and punched him. Benolirao sustained head wounds.

“Assuming for the sake of argument that the intention of Enrico Mongaya [in entering] the playing field was to rescue JM Kwan from the head lock of and prevent further attacks by Rodnel Benolirao, the act of Mongaya in hitting the head of Benolirao cannot be considered as reasonable means,” the decision read.

Benolirao’s parents have also told the CFA they plan to pursue legal action. Witnesses also saw Pepito assaulting several players.