No pressure used to expel De la Paz from golf club – lawyer

MANILA, Philippines – Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr. used no pressure on the Valley Golf and Country Club to get its directors to expel businessman Delfin de la Paz, who figured in a brawl with his son Pangandaman Jr. last December. "I am confident that there was no form of pressure," lawyer Teodoro Pastrana, counsel for the Pangandamans, told GMANews.TV in an interview. In fact, he thought the decision was a "vindication" for the Pangandamans. "It gives us a true picture of what transpired," he said. "I think it’s a vindication for the Pangandaman family." But for De la Paz, the sanction – which could end his 14-year old son Bino Lorenzo’s budding golf career – seemed unfair. The club announced its decision to expel De la Paz on Sunday through its spokesman, lawyer Teofilo Abejo, in a press briefing earlier in the day. The club also suspended Pangandaman Sr. for two years, for "vicariously liable" for the actions of his two sons who were his guests. Banned for life were Pangandaman Jr., mayor of Masiu town in Lanao del Sur, and his brother Mohammed Hussein, who are not club members, and their bodyguards – a sanction that Pastrana, however, found "heavy and unfair." The brothers were involved in a brawl with the De la Paz father and son at the golf course in Antipolo City last Dec. 26. "I think it’s a little bit unfair to impose a penalty too heavy. They simply defended themselves," Pastrana argued, saying that it was De la Paz who instigated the fight and provoked the brothers to fight back. The lawyer, however, said that the Club’s recommendations would boost their counter-complaint lodged against the De la Pazes at the National Bureau of Investigation. "I think this will help our case a lot. I understand that the NBI will look into this," Pastrana said. De la Paz’s 'instigation’' In a two-page resolution, the club’s board of directors cited eyewitnesses as testifying that it was Delfin de la Paz who instigated the brawl with the Pangandamans. "The board agreed that the statements of witnesses established that Mr. Dela Paz started the aggression by hitting Nasser Pangandaman Jr. with an umbrella," the board resolution said. "Mr. Dela Paz’s conduct was the proximate cause and the spark of the fighting that ensued wherein Nasser and Mohammed Hussein Pangandaman retaliated against Mr. De la Paz." According to the Club’s narration of facts on the mauling incident, golf marshal Elmer Saguisa claimed: "De la Paz folded his umbrella and moved backwards, while Mayor Pangandaman went a half step forward." Saguisa added De la Paz also hit the mayor’s arm and took a step back after doing so. The narration of facts also quoted eyewitness Ferdy de la Torre, a caddy, as saying that when Mayor Pangandaman took a step towards De la Paz, the latter hit him while caddy Jaime Jucar said he saw De la Paz hit Mayor Pangandaman with an umbrella. Saddened, shocked Delfin de la Paz said the club’s decision was one-sided because the caddies interviewed were those of the Pangandamans. "Yan ang malungkot, wala pong katotohanan yan [That's what saddens me. There is no truth to that]," he said. De la Paz said that his step to move backwards when he folded the umbrella only proved that he acted in self-defense because he felt that Mayor Pangandaman was ready to pounce on him. He also said he was "shocked" at the move to expel him, saying he was only expecting that he would only be suspended. "How would you expect a fair result?" he said. "Na-shock ako. Hindi ako makatulog, medyo mahirap pa rin. Ang ini-expect ko lang ay suspension." ["I am shocked and I was having a hard time sleeping. I was only expecting suspension."] De la Paz said he received a copy of the resolution Saturday night. De la Paz said the golfing career of his son, Bino, who represents the Philippines in international golf tournaments, may be affected adversely because of the club’s recommendations that the businessman’s dependents be "banned for life." "Ang concern ko ay naka’y Bino. Ano na ang future ng bata? Parang pinarusahan nila yung bata," De la Paz said. ["I am concerned with my son. What about the child? It’s like they punished him."] He noted that since the mauling incident, Bino displayed loss of interest in playing golf. "Ayaw na niya humawak ng club. Natatakot ako na mawala ang interest niya sa golf,' he said. ["Bino does not even want to hold his golf club. I am afraid he may lose his interest on golf."] He added that they might have to now have to look for other golf courses with members willing to accommodate them. "Once you are expelled, others may think you are a trouble maker," De la Paz said. Still, De la Paz remained confident that the justice system will vindicate them. "Ang NBI marunong sila [The NBI is competent]. I still have faith in the justice system," Dela Paz said. - GMANews.TV, with John Consulta of GMA News