AVC International referees Adams Wong (Hong Kong) and Joy De Imus (PH). PVL Media Bureau

ANTIPOLO – PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo explained Saturday why the league tapped AVC international referees to officiate the semifinal and final rounds of the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference.

The move serves to reinforce the league's impartiality, said Malonzo.

"Maganda 'yung neutral referees. Hopefully, the teams would see that wala tayong pinapanigan na team. 'Yun ang main purpose natin why we got international referees," he said.

This was already announced before the start of the conference.

Foreign referee Adams Wong from Hong Kong is officiating the ongoing Akari-Choco Mucho clash, while Butsarin Hmogmungmuang, a referee from Thailand, will be in charge of the game later in the day between Creamline and Petro Gazz.

"As promised before we started the conference, we decided to get neutral referees from AVC. These are international referees — one from Thailand and one from Hong Kong, si Mr. Adams Wong and Ms. Sari. They’ll be helping us with officiating. The good thing about this is wala silang kilalang team. Wala silang kilalang coach," he said.

"In terms of may pinapanigan ba or wala, wala naman tayong pinapanigan. I hope they don’t get that notion. That’s why we brought them in to reinforce na wala tayong pinapanigan."

The foreign referees will be supported by local officials, said Malonzo.

"Supported sila ng local, ng Filipino international referees. In this case, nandito si Ms. Joy de Imus and Ms. Jocelyn del Rosario. Ganun yung magiging sistema."

This was an initiative of the league in an attempt to bring its status to "world class," according to the PVL official.

"Initative ‘to ng league to show na for one, gusto nating maging world-class. We’re hoping na we go to that level," Malonzo said.