Zamboanga guard Nick Demusis has yet to receive an apology or compensation from Meralco reinforcement Ismael Romero following a kicking incident in the Dubai International Basketball Championships last January.
Rizza Diaz, Demusis’ wife and a prominent figure in sports, said no apology nor compensation was given as opposed to what reports have said.
Romero, who was playing for Al Ahli Tripoli, attacked Demusis in the middle of a game and was given a lifetime ban from playing in the tournament.
“I would like to set the record straight on the matter of basketball import Ismael Romero in the aftermath of his physical attack on my husband, Nick Demusis, in the 35th Dubai International Basketball Championship. Ismael Romero has not apologized to my husband, neither in Dubai nor in Manila,” Diaz said in a social media post.
“I am making this statement to provide clarification, after Meralco Bolts team manager Paolo Trillo declared on radio show Power & Play that Romero already apologized to Demusis in Dubai and that the information was unreported in the media.”
Romero was already replaced by the Bolts by Marvin Jones for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.
Diaz said before Romero left the Philippines, he was supposed to meet with Demusis to apologize for his actions formally but to no avail.
"It was clear deception on his part and (he) left us hanging. When Romero left the Philippines, we just took it as it was: we saw it coming. However, I believe it would be an injustice to claim that Romero has already apologized to my husband,” Diaz said.
"This is me speaking up this one time to set the record straight. This is me protecting my husband. This is me speaking the truth on his behalf, and that's all we can do."
Meralco has yet to issue a statement at press time.