Disclaimer
The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent anyone else's view in any way, including those of my employer.
© Copyright 2008
The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent anyone else's view in any way, including those of my employer.
© Copyright 2008
They’re supposed to be public servants for crying out loud.
DAR chief, son accused of mauling golfers in Antipolo
Article posted December 27, 2008 – 03:53 PM
[via GMANews.TV]
MANILA, Philippines — Already in hot water with farmers over land reform issues, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman is in trouble again, this time over an alleged mauling incident at a golf course in the city of Antipolo.
Radio reports on Saturday said police were looking into claims that Pangandaman not only flexed his muscles but also let his son Nasser Pangandaman Jr., mayor of Masiu in Lanao del Sur, beat up members of the De la Paz family at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo Friday afternoon.
“Hindi ninyo ako kilala. Ang yabang-yabang mo, ang tapang-tapang mo, mag-ingat ka (You don’t know me. You’re so conceited and foolhardy, you better be careful),” 56-year-old Delfin de la Paz recalled the Cabinet official telling him, while poking a finger at him after the mauling at the clubhouse.
Radio dzRH reported that the De la Paz family filed Friday night a complaint with the Antipolo police for physical injuries and violation of the law protecting women and minors.
The elder Dela Paz said he was with his 14-year-old son Bino and 18-year-old daughter Bambi at the golf course when the incident happened at about 1 p.m.
He said the Pangandaman father and son overtook them at one of the holes, prompting him to ask a marshal to have them get back in line.
When they were playing at the fifth hole, the mayor allegedly voiced impatience with De la Paz’s slow playing.
Dela Paz said at least four bodyguards of the mayor roughed him up, and beat up his 14-year-old son who tried to pacify them. He said his daughter was crying and pleading them to stop the attack.
After the scuffle, De la Paz said he and his children trudged back to the clubhouse but the secretary and the mayor, with their bodyguards, followed them.
He said the golf course’s management and security personnel came late.
On the other hand, he said that at the clubhouse, the mayor poked a finger at his 14-year-old son and said, “tatandaan kita (I will remember you).”
He said that when his elder son and wife arrived at the clubhouse with baseball bats, the Pangandamans’ bodyguards drew handguns.
Security personnel then tried to pacify dela Paz and supposedly told them, “umuwi na kayo, napakalaking tao ‘yan (just go home, you’re messing with big personalities here).”
Pangandamans side
Secretary Pangandaman could not be reached for comment but other radio stations reported that Mayor Pangandaman filed with the Mayamot police station in Antipolo a counter-complaint of physical injuries and grave threats against the De la Paz father and son.
The mayor said he talked with the elder De la Paz in a nice way but the man hit him instead with an umbrella and hurled invectives and twice challenged him to a fight.
The elder De la Paz admitted hitting one of the mayor’s men with the tip of an umbrella in self-defense as he was being ganged upon.
Golf etiquette 101
In a blog, Bambi De la Paz recalled that the Cabinet official and his son apparently resented their being told to observe golf etiquette.
Bambi wrote that she saw how the mayor hit Bino in the face even as her brother was pleading. She also recalled hearing the mayor shout to his caddy: Hindi nila kami kilala! Sabihin mo nga sa kanila kung sino ako! (They don’t know who we are. Tell them who I am).”
“I lash out, but my dad held me back. I was screaming my lungs out, shouting to this mayor, telling him about what he had done. I said: ‘Nakakahiya kayo. Singkwenta’y sais anyos ang tatay ko. And kapatid ko kakatorse anyos. Anong ilalaban nila sayo? (Shame on you. My father is 56 years old. My brother is just 14 years old. They are no match to you),’” she wrote.
After the scuffle at the clubhouse, she said, her younger brother’s right ear was bleeding and that when her older brother reacted, two of the mayor’s bodyguards pulled out guns.
“I am pretty sure the Secretary of DAR did not take part in the fight, but he just watched all this happen. He watched two of his sons, as we figured out, the other guy was his son, too, beat up my father and my 14-year-old brother. He didn’t do anything to stop it. And this person is what now? A Cabinet member. A politician,” Bambi wrote.
“The world has gone crazy. Two politicians beat up a defenseless 56-year-old father and his 14-year-old son. At a golf course. I swear to God, I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people. I guess not. I guess they gang up on 56-year-old men and beat up pleading 14-year-old kids,” she added.
To make matters worse, she said, none of the security guards at the clubhouse even tried to stop the fight and that other personnel reportedly told refused to cooperate when they asked for the names of the Pangandamans’ companions.
Radio reports quoted the dela Paz family as saying they won’t be intimidated by the powerful Cabinet member and mayor and they will pursue the criminal complaint against them.
—-
Read the account of the daughter, Bambee dela Paz, in her blog post.
Please pray that justice may prevail.
More Options ...
Categories
Tag Cloud
Blog RSS
Comments RSS
Void « Default
Life 
Earth 
Wind 
Water 
Fire Light 
Previous 
Next 
Comment Meta:
Last 50 Posts
Back
[...] DAR chief, son accused of mauling golfers in Antipolo by Jay-R [...]
[...] DAR chief, son accused of mauling golfers in Antipolo by Jay-R [...]
[...] DAR chief, son accused of mauling golfers in Antipolo by Jay-R [...]
After the Dela Pazes had aired out in news blitzkrieg their side of the story, the Pangandamans have come out with a knee-jerk rejoinder on the issue — claiming it was the senior Dela Paz or the daughter who started the melee by hitting one of the Pangandamans with a golf umbrella… Anyone with a common sense wouldn’t dare do such provocation against a person, much less a group of male (factors), surrounded by an omnipresent, intimidating cordon of pea-sized-brain and fully-armed bodyguards — whose purpose is to rabidly, blindly serve their handlers who feed them, and to do so regardless of consequences and at all costs since they anyway shall be covered with the extended mantle of impunity. That’s how it operates here in this Banana Republic. The people involved in the fracas are neither idiots nor weaklings, regardless of how they overnight image themselves as the victims. Stop playing possum, all of you – media practitioners and bloggers included. They are no strangers to pelf, power and influence either not to immediately distinguish their own kind. The filthy rich jealously, immediately dislike in their conceited viewpoint of exclusive, monopolized self-importance their own kind. Self-love breeds contempt against all others. I also have second thoughts entertaining the side-track comments of the Pangandamans that the Dela Pazes “acted as though they owned the territory (Valley Golf).” The bone of contention was but a “few minutes of ownership” of “privilege playing rights” of Hole Number Three at the time of the dispute — where the Dela Pazes contend that it was theirs in physical possession of at the time; while the Pangandamans insisted it was theirs in the first place as they were merely lagging behind a group that was already playing holes far in advance. Both parties argued for preference and priority — with or without advertence to Golf Manual 101. That was the deal breaker that broke the spirit of the Holidays. “Love of self, amor propio, ako muna bago kayo.” Can’t and don’t blame anyone — people who do so get crucified for doing right. Flashbacks of the Rolito Go parking slot shooting and that of the similar Loyola Cemetery parking fight episode. What I am certain of is that somebody burst a short fuse, and one act of intemperance and inconsideration paved the way for more violence and arrogance. The circus is now in town. The parties involved were supposed to play the gentleman’s game of golf — but, like overgrown brats as they all are really, did some other silly, childish thing that has found them now in the limelight of exchanging brickbats in full view of the nation. Regardless against the backdrop of what is supposed to be the Happy Holidays. I leave you to elevate your love of self in full view of the amused public. We can use some pointers for life. Be that as it may, lessons shall be learned the hard and painful way for all parties concerned. Good luck on this episode where only the devil gets to win! – JVC
[...] DAR chief, son accused of mauling golfers in Antipolo by Jay-R [...]
To Bambi De La Paz,
pakisabihan mo na lang kaya nag mga kaklase mo at kalaro sa golf sa pinapasukan mo paaralan sa Estados Unidos na sulatan ang kanilang mga comgressman na i-blacklist itong mga pangandaman na di makapasok sa Estados Unidos, sa kadahilanan na, kung makakapasok sa kanilang bansa ang mga pangandaman maaring maglaro ito ng golf at bubugin din ang mga kalaro mo o sino mang makasama ng mga pangandaman sa golf course sa estados Unidos.
maraming salamat,
tiburcio