Trader, son get death threats after golf brawl

After the beating, it’s now death threats.

A businessman who, along with his 14-year-old son, was allegedly beaten up by a son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and his companions due to an altercation in a golf course in Antipolo City last Dec. 26, has received death threats.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said he immediately deployed police escorts to secure businessman Delfin de la Paz, 56, and his son Bino Lorenzo.

Palad said members of two mobile cars from the Provincial Mobile Group (PMG) would secure the De la Pazes wherever they go.

“My men will be securing the De la Pazes on a 24-hour basis. They will remain with the family as long as police presence is required,” he said in an interview.

He said the elder De la Paz requested for security after receiving death threats.

Palad also noted that both sides have been issuing press releases apparently to gain sympathy following the alleged mauling incident.

“Our investigators would only file cases based on the formal complaint lodged before the police,” he stressed.

Palad said they have readied physical injuries and child abuse charges against the sons of Pangandaman, Nasser Jr. and Muhammed Hussien, and their companions Faisal Abdulla, Abdan Pasacuna, Rene Maglanque, and Arnel Astacio.

As of yesterday, the police are still waiting for the prosecutor at the Antipolo City prosecutor’s office to report for duty so they could file the charges against Mayor Pangandaman and his five companions.

Palad said a misunderstanding in the fairways of the golf course triggered the incident, which resulted in De la Paz and his son being beaten up by the suspects.

De la Paz’s daughter, 18-year-old Bambee, who was with the victims when the free-for-all happened, witnessed the whole incident.

But Secretary Pangandaman insisted it was De la Paz who started the fight.

Palad said he sent two mobile cars from the Antipolo City and Cainta police to the site upon receiving the incident report.   

The Calabarzon police director explained that the Valley Golf and Country Club is located at the boundary of Antipolo City and Cainta town in Rizal.

Because the incident occurred in the jurisdiction of Antipolo City, the local police force under Superintendent Raul Bargamento took cognizance of the case, said Palad.

He said they took the victims to the Antipolo City police station and had their statements taken after undergoing medical examination at a nearby hospital because the suspects were nowhere in sight when the police arrived.

Bargamento said the Pangandamans had the incident put down on blotter at the Police Community Precinct 1 (PCP1) in Barangay Masinag in the afternoon of Dec. 26, claiming they were beaten up at the golf course.

The Pangandamans’ lawyer also called up the PCP 1 Sunday informing the police on duty that they would file a formal complaint against De la Paz.

Sorry doesn’t mean anything

Meanwhile, the De la Paz family shrugged off the public apology of Pangandaman, saying the apology was directed to the public in general and was not meant for their family.

“It’s an apology to the people, the public. My family was not given anything. It was not an apology to us,” Bambee told The STAR in a phone interview. “So there’s nothing to discuss.”

Bambee also resented the public statements being made by the Pangandamans that her father started the fight and that the politician-son of the government official fought with the elder De la Paz in self-defense.

“That’s not true. The mayor and his brother, and three other people ganged up on my dad and they also hurt my brother,” she said.

Ms. De la Paz said her father has not been feeling well since Monday, and that they were forcing him to get a lot of rest to recover from his bruises and injuries incurred from the alleged beating.

“He really can’t talk right now. He’s not been feeling well. We want him to rest,” she said.      – With Rainier Allan Ronda