PBA player John Amores and his brother voluntarily surrendered to police on Thursday morning following a shooting incident captured on CCTV. The footage showed Amores firing a gun at a man after a heated basketball game in Lumban.
The CCTV video revealed Amores dismounting from a motorcycle driven by his 20-year-old brother in Barangay Maytalang Uno around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, then shooting at the victim. Fortunately, no one was harmed, including the bystanders.
Police Major Bob Louis Ordiz, Lumban’s police chief, stated that prior to the shooting, Amores had participated in a basketball game in Barangay Salac. A heated dispute over a questionable call in the game, where a P4,000 bet was at stake, escalated into a physical confrontation.
“Nagkaroon ng dayo sa Barangay Salac, tapos may tawag na hindi napagkasunduan. Then nagsimula doon sa hindi pagkakasunduan hanggang nagkaroon ng hamunan ng suntukan hanggang umabot sila sa Barangay Maytalang I at dun sila nagpangabot. Naghamunan ulit ng another suntukan then si John Amores may dala ng baril at pinaputukan ang victim,” Ordiz explained.
After the shooting, police initiated a pursuit. However, it was Amores’ barangay chairman sibling from Pagsanjan who contacted authorities, leading to the surrender of both brothers around 1 a.m.
Both brothers claimed they were receiving threats following the incident. “Nag-voluntary surrender po [sila] dito sa ating station dahil nagkakaroon na nga raw po sila ng threat sa kanilang buhay. Sa kanila pareho,” Ordiz added.
The brothers now face attempted murder charges, with the inquest proceedings soon to follow. The victim has declined to speak to the media, but his mother, Shirley Cacalda, vowed to pursue legal action.
“Kakauwi lang ng anak ko galing barko, 6, 5 araw pa lang dito yan…tapos didisgrasyahin n’ya. Sa halagang P4,000, papatayin niya anak ko, hindi ako papayag,” she tearfully told reporters at the police station. “Itutuloy ko ‘yan (kaso). Bibigyan ko ng kadalahan ‘yan dahil hambog ‘yan, sa akin madadala ‘yan,” she asserted.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial responded with a brief statement, noting that the matter is under police investigation, adding, “We are saddened by such an unfortunate incident.”
John Amores, a former JRU player, was previously involved in another violent incident during an NCAA game in 2022, where he attacked four De La Salle-College of St. Benilde players. Despite this, Amores was drafted by NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2023 PBA Rookie Draft.