The fallout from the Dubai altercation involving Nick Demusis and former Meralco import Ismael Romero took another turn on Monday after the Fil-American player’s camp disputed claims that the issue had already been settled.
Demusis’ wife, Rizza Diaz, broke her silence through a lengthy social media post, insisting that Romero never apologized to her husband — contradicting earlier remarks from Meralco team manager Paolo Trillo.
The clarification came a day after reports surfaced that Meralco had decided to move on from Romero as its import for the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“I am making this statement to provide clarification after Trillo declared in a radio show that Romero already apologized to Demusis in Dubai and that the information was unreported in the media,” Diaz wrote.
“This is not the case,” she added.
According to Diaz, the only interaction between Romero and Demusis happened inside a Dubai police headquarters after the Zamboanga Valientes guard filed a complaint stemming from the incident.
During that meeting, Demusis sought both an apology and compensation for medical expenses as well as the games he missed while recovering from the injuries he sustained.
OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.
Demusis’ wife Rizza Diaz belies Paolo Trillo claim that Romero has already apologized for Dubai attack #PBA50
READ: https://t.co/OGMhlUip5l pic.twitter.com/XOIIFbiLok
— SPIN.ph (@spinph) March 10, 2026
Diaz claimed that while a verbal settlement had been discussed, Romero failed to follow through.
She said a face-to-face meeting was scheduled later that night at a hotel in Dubai, but Romero allegedly left the country for Manila before it could happen.
Another attempt to arrange a meeting in the Philippines with the help of Meralco officials also fell through after Romero departed again, this time for Puerto Rico.
“It was clear deception on his part and [he] left us hanging,” Diaz said.
“When Romero left the Philippines, we just took it as it was: we saw it coming. However, I believe it would be an injustice to claim that Romero has already apologized to my husband.”
Until recently, the Meralco organization had largely remained silent regarding the controversy surrounding its former import.
The only public comment addressing the situation came from Trillo during an appearance on the Power & Play podcast hosted by Noli Eala, where he suggested that Romero had already expressed remorse.
That claim, Diaz said, was the reason she felt compelled to speak up.
“This is me speaking up this one time to set the record straight,” Diaz wrote.
“This is me protecting my husband. This is me speaking the truth on his behalf, and that’s all we can do.”
The situation gained renewed attention after Meralco officially replaced Romero with Marvin Jones as the team’s reinforcement for the Commissioner’s Cup, closing one chapter of the controversy while leaving questions about the unresolved dispute lingering.
Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!
Follow our Facebook page Sports News PH today and be part of a growing community of passionate basketball fans!
