MANILA, Philippines – Arwind Santos was not sorry for the monkey gesture he made towards Terrence Jones in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals, claiming it was all just mind games. 

Santos caught the ire of basketball fans on social media after being caught on camera acting like an ape on the bench when Jones was called for a foul on Christian Standhardinger late in the first half. 

Comparing black people to monkeys is a racist attack, but Santos plainly put it as only trying to get into Jones’ head. 

“Sinabi ko nga ‘di ba? Mind games ‘yun. Pero sinabihan naman ako kanina, kaya ‘di ko na ginawa ‘yun. Dati ginagawa ko ‘yan, wala naman warning so okay lang,” Santos told reporters. 

(Like I said, that’s just mind games. But I was told earlier not to do it anymore so I didn’t. I was doing that before and they didn’t give me a warning so it’s okay.) 

“Kanina na-warning ako ni commissioner [Willie Marcial] tsaka ng mga coaches ko, kaya ‘di ko na ginawa. Ito ngang basketball, ‘di ba mind games? Malay mo makita niya, mapikon siya doon ‘pag tinatawag siyang ganoon.” 

(I was warned by the commissioner [Willie Marcial] and my coaches earlier so I didn’t do it anymore. It’s just basketball mind games, right? Maybe he’ll see it and he’ll be irked.) 

The veteran Beermen forward added he had done the act in the past and not just on the KaTropa import. 

“Dati naman ‘di ba, pwede mo isigaw ‘yan. Kami noong nasa Air21 pa ako, time nila Dorian [Pena], tinatawag din namin na ganoon, gorilla. Pero wala ‘yun, pang-asar lang ‘yun, sinusubukan mo lang mang-asar kasi magaling eh.” 

(In the past, you can do that, right? When I was still with Air21, during the time of Dorian [Pena], we’re calling them gorilla. But that’s nothing, we’re just trying to get under their skin because they’re good.) 

Arwind Santos was caught on camera making a monkey gesture towards Terrence Jones in the first half of San Miguel’s 99-94 win over TNT in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals.

He says it’s just mind games and he’s not sorry for what he did. #PBAFinals | @dioquinodelfin pic.twitter.com/121eGRYnQI

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 14, 2019

As he refused to apologize, Santos insisted he just wanted to win as San Miguel erased a 16-point TNT advantage to come away with a 99-94 victory and a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven affair on Wednesday, August 14. 

“Magso-sorry ako? Hindi. Depende ‘yun sa kaniya. Kung mapipikon siya, totoong monkey siya. Kung ‘di ka mapipikon, ‘di ka monkey. Kami nang-aasar lang,” he said. 

(Me, sorry? No. It all depends on him. If he gets annoyed, then he’s really a monkey. If not, then you’re not a monkey. We’re just trying to agitate him.) 

“Kami nga magka-kapatid nag-aasaran din kami. ‘Di ko naman siya kaano-ano. Gusto lang namin manalo. Kung mapikon siya, hindi ko na kasalanan ‘yun. Ganiyan talaga basketball.” 

(Even my brothers and I try to irritate each other. I’m not related to him. I just want to win. If he loses his cool, that’s his fault. That’s basketball.) 

Santos and Co. will have a chance to close out the series in Game 6 on Friday, August 16, at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com