Ex-PBA prized import Billy Ray Bates nabbed in QC

Billy Ray Bates

MANILA, Philippines–An American national who was an import for a Philippine Basketball Association team found himself in hot water after allegedly throwing a rock at the windshield of a Mercedes Benz of a Quezon City resident early Monday.

Fortunately for the 56-year-old Billy Ray Bates, the other party agreed to a possible settlement if the basketball player would pay for the damage to the luxury car in three days.

“The agreement was for Bates to pay the complainant within three days, then no case will be filed,” said case investigator Police Officer 2 Alvin Quisumbing.

Bates, a PBA Hall of Famer also known as the “Black Superman” and who played for Crispa and Ginebra in the 1980s, was taken into custody for investigation following the incident involving the six-door Mercedes Benz of Carlos Vicente, 48, owner of a rent-a-car business.

The incident happened at 12:20 a.m. Monday while the sedan was parked in front of an auto repair shop on First Planas Street, Barangay Kaunlaran.

Citing a resident’s account, police said the allegedly drunk Bates picked up a rock and threw it at the car’s windshield, smashing the glass.

Bates, in an interview with reporters, denied he was drunk and claimed he was running away from robbers.

The witness recalled he saw the American walking toward Edsa early Monday morning. Later at 6 a.m., he saw Bates, apparently asleep, at the parking area of the Farmer’s Market.

The resident then went to the Cubao police station and reported the incident.

In their agreement at the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, Vicente agreed not to file damage to property and malicious mischief raps against Bates once the American pays for the damages.

Quisumbing said the Mercedes Benz is still being repaired at a car shop.