PBA Suspends John Amores After Shooting Incident
JOHN AMORES – The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has suspended the NorthPort player for the upcoming conference due to “conduct detrimental to the league.”
The announcement, made by Atty. Ogie Narvasa during halftime of a Rain or Shine-TNT game, means Amores will miss all games in PBA Season 49 and will not receive his salary during this period. To be eligible for reinstatement, Amores must address his anger and violent tendencies through a program approved by the league.
The suspension follows a recent incident involving Amores, in which he and his brother surrendered to the police after being caught on CCTV firing a gun at another man in Lumban, Laguna. The altercation began during a basketball game in Barangay Salac when Amores and the victim argued over a disputed call.
Later, CCTV footage showed Amores disembarking from a motorcycle, driven by his 20-year-old brother, in Barangay Maytalang Uno and shooting at the man. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and no bystanders were harmed during the incident. Following the shooting, Amores and his brother were taken into custody but were released on bail after posting bond.
John Amores has remained silent about the recent shooting incident, choosing not to explain his actions. He mentioned that he would address the matter during his court hearing. Meanwhile, the Firearms and Explosives Office is investigating whether Amores owns any registered firearms. His arraignment and pre-trial are scheduled for December 4.
This incident follows a previous controversy just two years ago when Amores, then playing for Jose Rizal University, was involved in a violent outburst during an NCAA game against the College of St. Benilde. That altercation led to his ban from the collegiate league. Despite this history, NorthPort drafted him in the fifth round of the 2023 PBA Rookie Draft, offering him another opportunity in professional basketball.