Magnolia star Ian Sangalang denies ever knowing Koa Wei Quan, the Singaporean businessman accused of trying to influence games in the PBA and the Thailand Basketball League.
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia big man Ian Sangalang plans to take legal action against the Singaporean businessman who dragged his name into a game-fixing mess.
Koa Wei Quan faces 14 graft charges before the State Courts in Singapore after being accused of trying to influence games in the PBA and the Thailand Basketball League amounting to nearly $70,000 in bribes., Koa allegedly offered Sangalang a bribe of $5,000 to fix Game 5 of the Hotshots’ 2018 Philippine Cup finals clash against the San Miguel Beermen.
Magnolia went on to absorb a 108-99 double overtime loss as San Miguel wrapped up the series to capture the All-Filipino crown. Sangalang finished Game 5 with 11 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block against a game-high 8 turnovers.“I never knew that man,” Sangalang told PBA commissioner Willie Marcial in Filipino during their meeting on Monday, April 24, according to a report published on the PBA website.Aside from Sangalang, unknown players from the Blackwater Elite and former TBL import Almond Vosotros – who now stars for the TNT Tropang Giga in the PBA 3×3 – were allegedly offered bribes by Koa.
Marcial said on Saturday, April 22, that the league will launch a probe on the game-fixing scandal, which is said to have transpired from April to July 2018.