I quote what Nasser Pangandam Sr. said: “They should be sensitive to the feelings of others, the past few days have been very painful for us.” Look who is talking. Was he sensitive to the feelings of de la Paz and family when his son and his son’s bodyguards mauled Mr. de la Paz and his 14-year-old son despite of the pleadings of the 14 year old teen? Mr. Pangandaman is talking as if his son and his son’s bodyguards were the ones mauled by Mr. de la Paz and his 14-year-old son…tell that to the marines. The best thing you can do and your son is to resign as a secretary and your hot headed son as Mayor. If your son can do that in a prestigious club, then for sure in his town where he is a mayor he must be acting as if he is the god. All the readers’ guess is as good as mine.
Bayani Magtanggol, Riyadh, via e-mail
January 13th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
When I heard about the Pangandaman – Dela Paz event, I came to an observation that the best way to make a sport popular is to put a human-interest story in it. Suddenly, the brawl made us aware of golfing terms like “flight”, “tee off”, as well as gave us some briefer on Golfing Etiquette.
Before the event, all I knew about Golf is that it is a game where players finish off a course with the least number of strokes. I remember a friend demystifying golf as a game of “holen”. The fastest you can shoot your marble in a hole, the likeliest you will win the game. The loser gets to have his marble shot at point blank - with a marble of course.
In Golf, probably due to the immense size of the playing field, rules have to be established - otherwise, one player may hit another player with a golf ball and kill him. Much like what the loser’s marble gets in a game of “holen”.
It is very saddening that both parties found themselves in a middle of a lot of things. Before the event, I believe they went to Valley Golf to have a good time. In the end, the only good they probably got is the chance to be closer to their respective families.
My teacher once told me that a story always has three sides. The 2 sides belong to the narrators, and the 3rd side, the truth. In this case, the truth may very well belong to the court.
The event solicited a lot of opinions (my own even). It has sparked a lot of intertwined controversies. It even dragged the name of the President.
However, I sincerely believe that amidst all these, the poignant item remains to be:
What and who instigated the event? This is important in determining who deserves what. Did the 56 years old Mr. Dela Paz instigated the fight? If this is the truth, we can imagine Mr. Dela Paz, having been overtaken by the 2nd flight of the Pangandamans, lost his temper and hurled invectives at the Pangandamans. We can very well imagine what he could have said. He could have said, “Who are these people? Why are they overtaking us? Are they even members of this club? They do not know anything about golf!” Probably wanting to teach his son what rules of the game to adhere to and how to assert your will to another man, he could have accosted the 2nd flight and gave them his two cents worth (and a poke with his golf umbrella).
On the other hand, had the Pangandamans instigated the fight, we can also imagine the Mayor saying, “Let’s go past this group, they are pushovers anyway - with the old man and all. Let’s start a fight so we can catch up with my Dad.” Probably wanting to show-off his brawns, he manhandled an oldman and beat them to their pulp (or at least that’s how the blog sounded like).
Determining who instigated the fight will allow us to be more or less sympathetic to either side. If we were able to establish that indeed it was Mr. Dela Paz who started the commotion with his social status in life dictated arrogance, I would say, hell yes! He deserves a whole lot of beating. However, if indeed it was the Mayor who picked the fight, I would say, he deserves the full force of the law.
The event in Valley Golf reinforces one of life’s lessons - what you reap, is what you sow. Violence begets violence, arrogance begets arrogance. These people may have forgotten that there are far more successful men than they are. Whoever the Dela Paz and Pangandamans are, whatever their status in life may be, they have to remember, there are people who have more money than they will ever have in their lifetime. There are people who have achieved far greater successes in life than what they have already achieved. There are fathers who have provided their children more than what these two fathers can only imagine.
And the good thing about these far greater men than these two is, they did not brag about what they have accomplished. They teed-off, scored very good, finished the whole course and earned their green jackets.
I suggest, let them tee-off and see who wins the game.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Since I am not there, have not gone there lately, I would believe more on the tales of those who went there in any capacity to pick up some chismis. For the moment, I will go with the expulsion of the ‘victims’ from the golf club membership. I wouldnt be surprised if even a pseudo shrink would account the ‘warrior fury’ was instigated by the ’second class citizen’ persecution mode.
January 10th, 2009 at 1:54 am
wonderwoman Says:
January 9th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Sayang ang Pinas talaga. Pati Koreano nandito na dahil sa ganda ng ating bansa, at ang bukirin natin na kayang paunlarin kung hindi lang ganito ang gobyerno natin.
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wala ka ng sinabing maganda wonderwoman. lahat kasamaan.
tapos sasabihin mo na sayang ang pilipinas, paano naging sayang.
masyado kang conclusive sa opinion mo. wala namang mailabas na pera sa drug bribe offer na 50million na naging 3 manok.
yan ang hirap sa atin pilipino, magaling sa story telling a lie.
kung mailalabas kahit na 3million offer, maniniwala ako na may corruption sa gobyerno. pero wala, sabi ni ganito, sabi ni ganire. we want proof hindi sabisabi.
kaya nga dinadayo ang pilipinas gaya ng koreano, arabo, para mag invest ay dahil sa ganda ng pilipinas at ganda ng pilipino.
ang isip mo ang baguhin mo. masyadong corrupt ang laman ng isisp mo.
in english that is paranoid, duda sa kapwa, naghihinala ng masama.
do you where a person goes to having paranoia…. halucination.
January 9th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
The pangandamans exemplify what kind of people govern the Philippines, typical corrupt and bullies. I mean, a mayor who is only 27 years old??Im not questioning Nasser’s personality and/or age as I dont know about this guy until now, but I am questioning his governance. What are his experiences, what are his agenda, and how does he handle the problems of his constituents and his city??I bet he is one of the thousand politicians who are incompetent, irrelevant, and are exploiting our kababayans.
January 9th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Maj. Marcelino is a Magdalo. Think how our country could have been if the Magdalo boys succeeded with you know what.
This is what their leader, Trillianes is talking about. CORRUPTION in all level in the government.
I do not advocate violent revolution, but, sayang ang Pinas talaga. Pati Koreano nandito na dahil sa ganda ng ating bansa, at ang bukirin natin na kayang paunlarin kung hindi lang ganito ang gobyerno natin.
Billiong Fertilizer funds, swine projects, budget for hybrid seeds, lahat na sa bulsa ng taliwas ng nasa Politiko. Ang natangap lang ng ating magsasaka ay puro “empty rethorics, and lip service.” Ang pera para sa kanila, kinurakot na!