Former American cager in trouble again

PBA bigman Jamelle Cornley of Columbus, Ohio, is behind bars for assaulting a policeman in this March file photo. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—Former professional basketball player Jamelle Isaac Cornley has been charged with beating up his Filipino girlfriend at her Quezon City home and remained in jail as of Friday afternoon pending the posting of bail.

The former Philippine Basketball Association import was subjected to inquest proceedings Thursday night on a charge of physical abuse under Republic Act 9262 or the Violence Against Women and their Children Act following his arrest the previous day.

Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano said the inquest fiscal upheld Cornley’s arrest by officers from the Galas police station on Wednesday afternoon.

The 26-year-old basketball player is accused specifically of maltreating his 25-year-old Filipina lover at her condominium unit on E. Rodriguez Boulevard in Barangay Kalusugan.

Assistant City Prosecutor Rodrigo del Rosario found probable cause to indict Cornley and recommended the filing of a case in court. He recommended bail of P24,000.

As of Friday afternoon, however, Cornley was still detained at the QCPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

Cornley was arrested at around 4 p.m. Wednesday when the helper of his girlfriend sought help from policemen. Police said Cornley was not under the influence of liquor or drugs when the alleged assault happened.

The girlfriend claimed that the cager beat her up and tried to kill her by trying to push her off the terrace of her 15th-floor apartment.

“It’s not even clear to me what is happening, but what I can say is that it’s not what it looks like,” the basketball player told reporters who sought a statement from him. He declined to say anything more, saying he preferred to be assisted by his lawyer.

This is the second time Cornley is jailed in Quezon City. Last March, the 6-foot-5 cager was arrested for assaulting a policeman about to arrest him for causing a ruckus at a hotel on Timog Avenue.