PBA player John Amores surrenders to police over Laguna shooting

Metro Manila, Philippines — Controversial Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player John Amores and his brother have surrendered to authorities on Thursday, Sept. 26, after they figured in a shooting in Lumban, Laguna.

Local police said Amores — seen riding a motorcycle with his brother in a security camera video — fired a gun at a man in Barangay Maytalang Uno after a heated argument with the same person during a basketball game on Wednesday.

No one was harmed and the firearm used by Amores was not recovered.

The 25-year-old cager and his brother will go through inquest proceedings over attempted murder charges.

Amores, a former player of Jose Rizal University (JRU), was slapped with an indefinite ban by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) after a punching rampage in a match between JRU and College of St. Benilde (CSB) at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City in 2022.

Two CSB players who were hit by Amores, Taine Davis and Jimboy Pasturan, filed a complaint against him before the San Juan City Prosecutor's Office.

Despite the NCAA mess, Amores got a second chance at basketball after the NorthPort Batang Pier chose him in the fifth round as 51st overall in the PBA Season 48 Rookie Draft.

"This is a matter subject of investigation by the police, and we cannot comment on it. But we are saddened by such an unfortunate incident," PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said in a statement.

The shooting came three days after Amores and the Batang Pier ended their PBA Governors’ Cup campaign with a 3-7 win-loss record in Group A.