On-court brawl between EAC, Perpetual spills into parking lot

The on-court scuffle between Perpetual Help’s Nikolo Cabiltes and Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Rico Diego and Raymund Pascua spilled into the parking lot just outside Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

According to a cigarette vendor near the scene, he saw a couple of players from the Generals going after a man.

He would later identify Sidney Onwubere as one of those players from EAC while the other he described as a “small player.”

Altas’ player Nestor Bantayan cleared that he was only there to control the situation as players from EAC charged at Cabiltes.

“Hindi po ako kasama doon. Nang-awat lang po ako. Sinugod ng mga taga-EAC yung teammate namin. (I wasn’t included there. I was there to pacify the fight. EAC players charged at my teammate.),” said Bantayan.

Perpetual Help guard GJ Ylagan and Bantayan also claimed Pascua sneaked in and hit Cabiltes repeatedly on the back of his head until he fell.

“Binalikan kami nung EAC. Inaawat na nga namin, ayaw paawat. Umikot sa likod yung Pascua yung maliit. Sinapak si Cabiltes tapos ayon nagkagulo na,” said Ylagan.

(They went back after us. We tried to stop the situation, but they wouldn’t budge. Pascua went around the back and hit Cabiltes then fighting ensued).

Witnesses said they saw Ylagan, Altas’ Bright Akhuetie and Emilio Aguinaldo College’s big man Hamadou Laminou trying to pacify the situation.

Earlier, Cabiltes, Pascua and Diego were thrown out with 1:37 remaining in the game. Diego, meanwhile, wasn’t in the parking lot.

The Arena bouncers then rushed outside to control the scene.

As of posting, the NCAA is still investigating the incident and has yet to issue a statement regarding the matter.

INQUIRER.net tried getting the side of the Generals but has not gotten a response.

Eerily, Tuesday’s games marked the first year anniversary of the infamous brawl involving Emilio Aguinaldo College and Mapua also at the same venue where the league suspended 17 players in total and the three referees officiating the contest.