JRU’s John Amores. –NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Jose Rizal University’s John Amores has been expelled from the school’s basketball team after being indefinitely banned from the NCAA following the scuffle.
JRU also initially meted out an indefinite ban on Amores, a separate decision from the NCAA’s, stemming from his violent acts in the game between the Heavy Bombers’ and the St. Benilde Blazers last November 9.
But after a special inquiry conducted by the school, JRU has decided to upgrade Amores’ punishment to expulsion from the Heavy Bombers.
Amores will be out of any and all sports activities with JRU. He is also suspended from his classes.
“Contingent with this action: (i) all privileges accruing to Mr. Amores as a student-athlete have been canceled; and (ii) based on the Student Manual of the University, he has been further meted out the penalty of suspension from his classes and has been required to undergo community service,” JRU said in a statement.
The school, however, said it will help the forward with counseling to “cope with the strain of what has taken place in his young life.”
Earlier, Inquirer sources had said that the league had strongly urged JRU to take a forceful and more proactive remedy to the controversy, especially since Amores had, just in the preseason, punched a player from the University of the Philippines during a game between both schools.
The NCAA had given little indication that its pressure on JRU resulted in the latest punishment handed out to the erring forward and the school had also indicated that the penalties were not a league decision.
A few days earlier, Paul Supan, the representative of JRU in the league’s managing committee (Mancomm), publicly apologized for Amores’ actions.
St. Benilde players have also pressed charges against Amores after Taine Davis and Jimboy Pasturan sustained injuries from his punches.
The league’s Mancom will hold a press conference regarding the Amores situation on Wednesday after the first game between the Heavy Bombers and Lyceum.
