Kent Salado, Rey Suerte, Ato Ular fined for 'ligang labas' appearances

Rey Suerte is among the latest players to be slapped with fines for playing in ligang labas. Dennis Acosta (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

BATANGAS CITY—The PBA penalized three more players for their appearances in "ligang labas' games recently.

The league announced on Tuesday that NorthPort's Kent Salado and Blackwater's Rey Suerte and Ato Ular were each fined PHP50,000 for seeing action in a tournament in Davao City.

It was found out that Salado, Suerte, and Ular did not seek permission from their mother teams, a prerequisite before they can be cleared to join.

The players met with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial to air their side and eventually apologize for their actions.

This is the second straight week that the league imposed a crackdown on players who saw action in ligang labas play without proper clearance.

The strict action took place amid a brawl involving Rain Or Shine's Beau Belga and now free agent JR Quinahan in Cebu.

Belga and Quinahan were each fined PHP70,000 both for their ligang labas appearances and their roles in the commotion, while Magnolia's Jio Jalalon, incurring a second violation of the rule, was fined PHP100,000.

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