Quote for the Week..

"Why are the country’s political leaders quick to act on amending the Constitution to change nationalistic provisions for the benefit of foreigners or to extend their terms of office but are allergic to amending the Constitution to address the people’s aspirations for self-determination?" - Marvic Leonen,Dean of the UP College of Law, in a keynote address delivered at the 1st International Solidarity Conference on Mindanao; March 16-18, 2009 in Davao City, Philippines.

======================================================

Sunday, December 28, 2008

DAR chief’s son, 5 bodyguards face charges for alleged mauling of 2 golfers

The Antipolo police said Saturday that they would file physical injuries charges against the son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr. and five bodyguards for beating up two golfers at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo on Friday afternoon.

Facing charges are DAR chief’s son Nasser Pangandaman Jr., who is mayor of Masiu in Lanao del Sur, and his five bodyguards, a report on DZBB said.

They were accused by Delfin de la Paz, 56. De la Paz claimed that Pangandaman and his bodyguard mauled him and his 14-year-old son after a brief spat inside the golf course.

Meanwhile, GMANews.TV learned that Pangandaman Jr has filed a counter-complaint against his accuser at the police station in Mayamot, Antipolo.

Bombo Radyo reported that Pangandaman Jr filed physical injuries and grave threats against De la Paz. The DAR chief’s son claimed he was hit with an umbrella by De la Paz during a commotion.

The lead investigator of the case said they found out that only Pangandaman Jr. and the five bodyguards took part in the mauling of De la Paz. Earlier reports said the elder Pangandaman also hurt De la Paz.

De la Paz, however, told DZBB in a separate interview that he was not sure if the DAR chief hurt him during the melee.

“In fairness sa DAR chief, parang hindi ako sigurado kung naki-tadyak siya kasi bumagsak na ako at hindi ko masyadong makita kung kasama siya," De la Paz said.

(In fairness to the DAR chief, I’m not sure if he kicked me because I was already down and could not see very well.)

Radio dzRH earlier reported that the De la Paz family filed on Friday night a complaint with the Antipolo police for physical injuries and violation of the law protecting women and minors.

De la 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, but when they were playing at the fifth hole, Pangandaman Jr allegedly voiced impatience with his slow playing.

He said at the bodyguards of Pangandaman Jr beat him up and his 14-year-old son who tried to pacify the attackers. De la Paz said his daughter desperately tried to stop the attack.

After the scuffle, De la Paz said he and his children trudged back to the clubhouse but the Pangandaman, with their bodyguards, followed them.

Pangandaman Jr also reportedly poked a finger at De la Paz’s 14-year-old son and said, “tatandaan kita (I will remember you)."

Moreover, when his elder son and wife arrived at the clubhouse with baseball bats, the Pangandaman Jr’s bodyguards allegedly drew handguns.

Pangandaman Jr 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.

De la Paz admitted hitting one of the Pangandaman’s men with the tip of an umbrella in self-defense as he was being ganged upon.

However, the De la Paz family has said that they won’t be intimidated by Pangandaman and that they will pursue the criminal complaint against them.

Meanwhile, the Antipolo police said they are still gathering information from witnesses regarding the incident. (Kim Tan, GMANews.TV)

1 comment:

Pres. Mau said...

I quote this comment hereunder:

pulis na pogi said..

"In this incident, the dela Pazes were first given attention by the media and add that to the fact the natural tendency of many filipinos (including me) to hold prejudice against moros, my first reaction is anger at the pangandaman.

And i am still angry at them up to this moment. secretary and mayor pangandaman should have known better and should have acted with prudence no matter and however they were provoked. they are no ordinary citizens but persons vested with responsibility by the people.

However, i now tend to give credence to the story of the pangandamans after my friend who happens to be a member of valley golf related his brush with the dela Pazes. and so the story goes this way:

Shortly before christmas, he was practicing his putting in one of the three putting greens in vally golf. in the other putting green is bambee de la Paz also practicing putting. mind you, this family of dela pazes are terrific golf players! all of a sudden, bambee, together with her mother fanning herself like crazy, joined my friend in his putting green, stroking the house balls here and there, oblivious to the presence of my friend. golf etiquette 101: this is not beig courteous. the same issue they used against the pangandamans. fortunately my friend is no pangandaman and so the scandal happend days later and not involved my friend. after around 30 minutes of pure arrogance and “i am a champion and who are you” attitude from bambee, she and her mother left my friend in the practice green with the 12 house balls strewn all around. etiquette 101 again: this is, again, not being couteous. the ball holders clearly bore the sign “replace after use.”

After i heard this story of my friend, he and i thought, well, the arrogant dela Pazes met their match in the equally arrogant pangandamans.

Now, we are angry at all of them for bringing their lies to the public and wasting our time!

Both parties don't deserve any attention at all."