The referee who called an intentional foul on Meralco import Akil Mitchell during a crucial moment in Game 3—which the Bolts lost to Barangay Ginebra on Sunday night—has been suspended by the PBA Commissioner’s Office.

The referee will not be included in the pool of game officials for “the next few playdates,” according to league officials, as a result of the incorrect call, which was overturned after a video review when Meralco challenged it.

However, the Bolts suffered a number of consequences from the call, including losing active consultant Nenad Vucinic to a second technical for “disrespectful language to a referee” and missing the opportunity to cut down on a 77-72 Ginebra advantage.

Ginebra defeated top-seeded NorthPort 94-87 to go to a best-of-seven semifinal.

However, because of certain mitigating factors, the referee in the Ginebra-Meralco match received a comparatively milder punishment than the referee who was suspended for the remainder of the conference following Rain or Shine’s Game One loss to Converge in their own quarterfinal.

According to league authorities, the referee made the right call from his vantage point on the baseline. But when the play was reviewed from four separate camera angles, the referee failed to notice Justin Brownlee gripping Mitchell’s waist.

The technical on Vucinic and the associated punishment for an ejection will remain in effect, authorities said, even though the call was ultimately overturned and shown to be incorrect following the technical committee’s own review.

Vucinic’s fourth technical of the conference.

Meanwhile, following the Gin Kings’ victory against the Bolts in Game 3 to secure their place in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals, Barangay Ginebra team governor Alfrancis Chua reprimanded Meralco coach Luigi Trillo on Sunday.

Chua reacted negatively on Sunday to Trillo’s claims in an Inquirer article that the Bolts “wanted” to play Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals.

In a press conference following the eliminations, Trillo was cited as stating that they might have to go to Ginebra early or late in the playoffs if they were to win the championship.

“We wanted this,” Prior to the playoffs, Trillo was cited as stating. “I know we’re 0-4 [to Ginebra] right now, including the last one. But we wanted this. We’re going to go through Ginebra, anyway, whether it’s now or later.”

Chua didn’t agree with the statement.

“Sabi ni Luigi, kami ang pinili. Na kaya nila kami. ‘Yun ang nakalagay. I guess nagkamali sila ng pinili,” Chua made his statement on Sunday, just after Ginebra defeated Meralco 94-87 in a decisive Game Three at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Trillo chose not to respond to Chua’s remarks.

Trillo stated prior to the quarterfinals that he holds Ginebra in the highest regard and believes that defeating the Gin Kings in the playoffs will be a difficult task.

Chua’s remarks follow a dramatic Game Three in which Nenad Vucinic, the Bolts’ active consultant, was sent out midway through the fourth quarter for arguing with a referee.

NorthPort will now play Ginebra in a best-of-seven semifinal.