Bureau of Customs’ Pau Soriano and Lilet Mabbayad said that knew what was coming even before Philippine Superliga handed down a one-year ban and a P50,000 fine on them on Monday.
“Alam na namin before the game,” said Mabbayad.
Soriano, a veteran middle blocker from Adamson, said they opted to play in their first game against University of the Philippines since are they are already banned from the PSL regardless.
READ: PSL suspends, fines Soriano and Mabbayad for playing in V-League
“According to (PSL president) Tats (Suzara) nung hindi pa kami nakakapaglaro, paglabas pa lang ng line-up, automatic na na naka-ban na kami. Kahit hindi kami naglaro, naka-ban pa rin kami. So ayun, nag-play na kami kasi pareho lang din eh.”
Coach Sherwin Meneses said that Customs already anticipated this scenario when they first got in contact with Soriano and Mabbayad even before the start of the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference.
“Yun na kaagad ang napag-usapan namin. Nag-decide sila na sa Shakey’s V-League na lang maglaro. Pabor naman sa amin kung ganoon,” he said. “Malaking bagay sila sa team kasi yung experience nila nandyan na. Kakatapos lang din ng AFP Olympics nila so medyo kundisyon pa ng konti at hindi medyo nagsi-tabaan.”
READ: Valdez, import-less Customs easily beats UP
PSL league rules state that both Soriano and Mabbayad, members of the currently inactive Standard Insurance – Philippine Navy, are bound by the one-league policy which will expire on December 31 at the end of this year.
Soriano said that they have already accepted their fate as they find themselves at the crossfire between the two leagues.
“Syempre ito yung choice ko at kailangan kong i-face yung consequence sa ginawa kong desisyon,” she said.
Mabbayad finished with 10 points off five kills, three blocks, and two service aces, while Soriano got eight markers in the Transformers’ 25-23, 25-18, 25-22 victory over University of the Philippines.