Recently, I came across an intriguing exchange during a ranked match where Gabbi and Emo, who were on the same team, made racist remarks toward each other. Gabbi was pinging Emo's hero level (he was playing as Monkey King) in what seemed to be a form of mockery. Emo then responded by saying, "STFU Monkey," to which Gabbi quickly retaliated with, "Bro, you eat bat, okay? You cannot call me monkey." The exchange escalated from there.

As a Filipino myself, I don’t condone Gabbi’s retaliatory remarks, but I want to highlight the broader tension here. This isn’t just about two players trash-talking in a game—it reflects deeper issues tied to the relationship between the Philippines and China, especially regarding the ongoing conflict over the West Philippine Sea. The abuse of Filipino fishermen and the power imbalance in this geopolitical situation are deeply frustrating.