Chaos breaks out during Mandaue basketball championship game
Tempers flared high at a basketball championship game in Mandaue City, leading fans to hurl bottles following the match's conclusion. The chaos ignited an investigation by the Mandaue City Sports Commission.
Barangays Paknaan and Alang-Alang went head-to-head in the senior division finals of the Mayor's Cup on May 1, 2025, at the Mandaue City Sports Complex. In a viral video shared by Formentera Marvin, spectators could be seen chucking plastic bottles towards the Alang-Alang side once the final buzzer sounded, with the latter emerging victorious. The arena reverberated with shouts, prompting an announcer to plead for calm.
Barangay Captain Jesse James Go of Alang-Alang stated in an interview that the situation was swiftly diffused by the police presence. "The commotion was contained since there were officers nearby," Go explained. No reported injuries or casualties ensued.
Event director Kevin Gonzales attributed the outburst to the intense emotional investment from both sides, with one quenching their thirst for victory, and the other nursing their disappointment. "We can't control the crowd's emotions. One side rejoiced, the other mourned. But overall, the game was a success," Gonzales commented.
Mandaue City Sports Commission head Mary Joy Tabal announced an internal investigation into the incident, with the intention of enhancing future programs. "We will examine the facts and take steps towards better initiatives in the future," Tabal declared.
The Mandaue City Mayor's Cup, held from March 9 to May 1, was contested by various barangays, ending just days before the May 12 elections. Although the games appeared recreational, Commission on Elections 7 Director Francisco Pobe cautioned that such events could potentially violate election rules if they were funded by the government without proper exemptions or if used for political exposure.
In more stringent conditions, activities like these might have been scheduled post-election to avoid any semblance of bias. Mandaue City Mayor Glenn Bercede was present at the event, while City Administrator Jamaal James Calipayan confirmed that no private sponsors or political figures funded the tournament, assuring that the city bear all the costs.
- The government-funded Mandaue City Mayor's Cup, which concluded just before the elections, saw barangays Alang-Alang and Paknaan compete in the senior division finals of NCAA-basketball.
- During the championship game at the Mandaue City Sports Complex, tensions ran high, and spectators reverted to throwing plastic bottles towards the Alang-Alang side after their victory.
- Echoing the chaos, the arena reverberated with shouts, necessitating an announcer to plead for calm.
- While the incident was contained with the help of nearby law enforcement, Barangay Captain Jesse James Go of Alang-Alang detailed that no injuries or casualties were reported.
- Commission on Elections 7 Director Francisco Pobe has raised concerns about the potential violation of election rules if such sports events, funded by the government, are not properly exempted or used for political exposure.
- Striving to improve the situation and provide better initiatives for future programs, Mandaue City Sports Commission head Mary Joy Tabal highlighted the pressing need for an internal investigation into the bottle-throwing incident during the basketball finals.
