By Waylon Galvez

PBA commissioner Renauld "Sonny" Barrios said yesterday he will propose that the league’s stringent rules on flagrant penalty 2, which carries an automatic one- game ban, should be revised.

He said the ban should not be automatic and that players who get slapped with this infraction should have their cases reviewed by the office of the commissioner.

Barrios’ proposal apparently had been triggered by recent flagrant 2 calls involving major players, the latest of whom is Ranidel Ocampo of Talk ‘N Text who will miss the crucial game one of his team’s championship series against Alaska Milk beginning tomorrow.

Barrios said he plans to submit his proposal immediately for board discussion and if approved, he may apply it in the coming finals series.

"I am going to talk to the Board on the penalty side and hopefully, if it is approved, we will apply it to the finals," said Barrios.

The commissioner feels that if the Flagrant 2 does not harm the aggrieved party, the one-game suspension would seem to be too extreme and therefore should not apply automatically.

He suggested instead that the fine on the F2, which is P20,000, should be increased.

"The penalty should be by consequence," Barrios said. "If the flagrant foul was committed on a player and because of it he does not return (to play), then the penalties should be stiff as they are right now," Barrios said.

The penalty could be lighter, according to Barrios, "if there’s really no harm done on the aggrieved party."

Alaska coach Tim Cone said he agrees with the commissioner’s suggestion but it should not apply in Game 1.

"I’m for it, but not on Game 1 but beginning Game 2," he said.

Ocampo was slapped an F2 in the second period of TNT’s 116-115 overtime win against San Miguel Beer in Game 6 of their semifinal series lat Sunday.

He appeared to have stuck his right foot out underneath the jump-shooting Lordy Tugade.

De Ocampo’s F2 infraction was the 15th this conference.


http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20090127146682.html