Almond Vosotros during Team Philippines’ SEA Games send-off ceremony. MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Almond Vosotros, the former La Salle standout and current Philippine 3×3 team member, denied game-fixing allegations by a Singaporean businessman.
Vosotros was among the Filipino players along with Magnolia Hotshots star Ian Sangalang who were offered bribes by Koa Wei Quan to fix games as cited in a story by The Straits Times.
“When I read that story, I did not even pay attention to it. I received messages from reporters asking me about and honestly, I don’t know anything about it,” Vosotros said in Filipino on Monday during the Philippine team’s Southeast Asian Games send-off ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center.
“I don’t even know that person,” he added.
Koa was accused of offering nearly $70,000 to players from the PBA as well as the Thailand Basketball League where Vosotros saw action in 2018 for the Mono Thewphaingarm and Provincial Electricity Authority.
Vosotros, however, did say he received messages during games in his second tour of duty in Thailand but he never entertained any of it and made sure to only keep his focus on helping his team win.
The 33-year-old guard added he is keen on filing a case against Koa to “clear his name.” Just like Vosotros, Sangalang also plans to take legal action against Koa.
The issue doesn’t seem to faze Vosotros, who has his sights set on helping the Philippines in the 3×3 event.
“The motivation and the drive are there, [we’re] super excited,” said Vosotros, who is joined by Ange Kouame, Samboy De Leon, Brandon Bates, Jorey Napoles, Lervin Flores, Joseph Eriobu, Jeff Manday, Alfred Batino, Joseph Sedurifa on the national 3×3 pool.