PH athletes react to NU’s Gelo Santiago’s five-game suspension

Metro Manila, Philippines – The local sports community shared their reactions to the five-game suspension given by the UAAP to National University (NU)’s Gelo Santiago following his unsportsmanlike foul on Ateneo de Manila University’s Waki Espina in the second round of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.

Santiago committed a disqualifying foul against Espina on Sunday, Oct. 26, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

Both Santiago and Espina fell on the court after a rebound play at the 8:50 mark of the fourth period.

Santiago then struck Espina on the back of the head with his right forearm while Espina was in a prone position, which resulted in the NU player being thrown out of the game.

Gelo, brother of famous volleyball sisters Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Jaja Santiago, will be missing NU’s remaining elimination games starting on Nov. 2 until Nov. 23.

With the five-game ban of Santiago in effect, former UAAP athletes believe Santiago deserves a heftier punishment as his actions could have seriously harmed Espina.

“5 games, that’s it? ‘Yan dapat bina-ban nang matagal eh,” three-time UAAP champion and ex-Ateneo standout Thirdy Ravena commented in an Instagram post regarding Santiago’s suspension.

For former Ateneo champion guard and current Rain or Shine player Anton Asistio, Santiago’s move is illegal in combat sports, where physicality is the name of the game.

“Kahit sa MMA, bawal ‘yung elbow to the back of the head,” he noted in the same Instagram post.

Isa Molde, a teammate of Gelo’s sister Dindin in the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the Premier Volleyball League, stressed the suspension should have been longer considering the action as career-threatening.

“Sorry, pero [five] games is not enough. Sa likod ng ulo ‘yun,” said the former UP Lady Maroon.

Converge FiberXers rookie Juan Gomez de Liaño said Santiago should not be allowed to play for the remainder of the UAAP season following his action.

“Bro should be banned for the entire season lol,” he also commented.

The basketball community noted that Santiago’s unsportsmanlike behavior seems to be becoming a habit.

Earlier this season, Santiago collided with Mason Amos which resulted in the La Salle player suffering a medial collateral ligament injury that has sidelined him for the rest of the season.