This is your public official
December 30, 2008Reposting the Inquirer story on the incident about the dela paz mauling in Valley GolfClub
DAR chief’s son tagged in golf attack
By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:48:00 12/27/2008
Filed Under: Crime<http://services.
, Government<http://services.
, Human Rights<http://services.
, Golf<http://services.inquirer.
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MANILA, Philippines — The son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser
Pangandaman and several persons beat up a 14-year-old boy and his father at
a golf course in Antipolo on Friday, the victims complained Saturday.
The alleged attackers were identified as Nasser Pangandaman Jr., mayor of
Masiu, Lanao Del Sur, and his armed bodyguards. The victims, Delfin De La
Paz and his family, said the Cabinet member witnessed the incident at the
Valley Golf Club but did not stop his son and their bodyguards from
attacking the victims.
De La Paz filed the complaint immediately after the incident on Friday with
the Antipolo police, who said the charges would be filed on Monday.
De La Paz said the incident started with an altercation after the
Pangandamans allegedly broke golf etiquette by playing out of turn and
overtaking the De La Paz family at the South Course of the Valley Golf and
Country Club.
In an interview, De La Paz, 56, said he and his two children — daughter
Bambee, 18, and son Bino, 14 -– were playing golf and were on Hole No. 3
when two golf carts bearing the Pangandamans and their friends overtook
them.
Aside from the Pangandamans, the flight also included Paysal Abdulaa,
Mohammed Hussein, Abdan Pacasuna, Rene Maglaque, and Arnel Astacio.
De La Paz said he complained to the marshal and an altercation ensued when
the two groups caught up with each other at the tee house on Hole No. 5.
De La Paz said that at the height of the altercation, Nasser Jr. suddenly
attacked him and his son, punching and kicking them and shouting: “Hindi mo
ba ako nakikilala? (Don’t you know me?)”
Bambee De La Paz, who witnessed everything, said the younger Pangandaman
continued to attack even when his brother was already on his knees pleading
for him to stop.
Bambee, in an e-mail to friends, said they decided to stop playing and
retreated to the clubhouse to seek medical attention, but their attackers
followed them to the clubhouse. This time joined by their bodyguards, the
Pangandaman group again attacked father and son. Bambee said two of the
mayor’s bodyguards pulled out their guns.
She said that while Secretary Pangandaman did not participate in the
attacks, he did not lift a finger to stop his son
and his companions from beating the victims.
De La Paz’s 14 year-old boy suffered various facial, head, and back injuries
due to the blows he received. The family plans to file charges of child
abuse, among other cases, against the assailants.
‘’This is a golf course. I have been a golfer all my life and I have never
seen anything like this,'’ Bambee said. ‘’And I thought golfers were decent
people. You would think politicians were decent people.'’
Efforts to reach Secretary Pangandaman for comment on Saturday proved
fruitless. His cell phone was off. The public information officer of the
Department of Agrarian Reform promised to call the INQUIRER as soon as he
got in touch with the secretary but he had not done so as of posting time
Saturday.
*–PAULINA M. CUENCA*
paulinamcuenca@yahoo.com
pmcuenca@upd.edu.ph
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