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The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has taken swift action to protect Barangay Ginebra rookie RJ Abarrientos after he and his family received alarming death threats from disgruntled netizens.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed that the league has already coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the threats sent to Abarrientos and his partner’s social media accounts. The threats came shortly after Ginebra's heartbreaking 108-104 loss to the Meralco Bolts in Game 2 of their Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals series at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Marcial assured that the PBA is not taking the matter lightly.

“Kino-ordinate na natin ito sa proper authority, in this case sa NBI. Kinausap na nila si RJ tungkol dito,” he said. “Pino-protektahan din naman natin yung mga player natin sa ganyang mga bagay.”

Death Threats Over a Missed Shot?

Abarrientos, who was drafted third overall by Ginebra, became the target of online hate just minutes after the Kings' loss. He missed a crucial four-point shot that could have sent the game into overtime, finishing with 12 points, three assists, and two steals. But instead of just dealing with the normal pressure of competition, he had to face something far more disturbing—threats to his life and his family's safety.

Using dummy accounts, some netizens left messages claiming they had lost huge bets on Ginebra’s defeat. The threats escalated quickly, prompting the rookie guard to speak out on his Instagram Stories.

“Grabe talaga mga tao sa social media. Talo lang sa pusta, biglang death threats, pati pamilya dinadamay pa. Paki-report! Nakakaalarma na yung ganitong ugali,” Abarrientos wrote, alongside screenshots of the threats.

He also urged fellow players not to tolerate such behavior:

“Naglalaro kami ng maayos, at trabaho namin ‘to. Parte ng basketball ang matalo. Sa mga kapwa ko players, ‘di dapat tinotolerate yung ganito.”

PBA, NBI on the Case

According to Marcial, Abarrientos immediately informed the Barangay Ginebra management about the situation, which then prompted the PBA to step in.

“Nabasa ko na yung messages. Nasa akin na, kaya nakipag-coordinate na rin tayo sa NBI,” Marcial confirmed.

With the investigation now in motion, the PBA is hoping to track down those responsible and send a strong message that such threats have no place in sports—or anywhere else.
For now, fans can only hope that Abarrientos and his family remain safe and that those behind the threats are held accountable. One thing is clear: the PBA is standing by its players, and they won’t let this slide.