Choco Mucho added another weapon to its arsenal after acquiring the services of veteran Dindin Santiago-Manabat following her release from Akari.
The towering winger will suit up for the purple-clad Flying Titans in the coming Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference next month as a valuable addition for the club bitten by injury bug and will be missing key players to national duty.
An unimpeachable source confirmed the transfer of 6-foot-2 Manabat weeks after a major shakeup involving sister teams Akari and Nxled.
The 30-year-old star, according to another source, requested her release after her supposed shipping to Nxled did not push through.
Manabat along with Bang Pineda, Trisha Genesis, Jaja Maraguinot, and Roselle Baliton were sent to Nxled for Ivy Lacsina, Dani Ravena, setter Kamille Cal, Cams Victoria and head coach Taka Minowa.
The league allowed the switch because of the structure of two clubs running under a single franchise.
Manabat is expected to bolster a Choco Mucho side already missing the services Alas Pilipinas members former Most Valuable Player Sisi Rondina and Cherry Nunag.
Flying Titans head coach Dante Alinsunurin mentioned the team working on plugging the scoring and defensive roles left by Rondina and Nunag by signing free agents and rookies in the upcoming PVL Draft.
Alinsunurin added that they were already lacking players when they fell short in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference finals against its sister team Creamine last May with Kat Tolentino and Des Cheng sidelined with injuries.