Maquinto's manager breaks down

It will be difficult for Anson Tiu Co to get over the tragedy that befell Karlo Maquinto, one of four fighters he manages out of the Shape-Up Gym in the Cooyeesan Hotel Plaza in Baguio City.

Yesterday, Tiu Co broke down and wept as we spoke on the phone about Maquinto’s condition. Tiu Co has kept vigil by Maquinto’s side at the FEU-NRMF Medical Center in West Fairview since the fighter was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance late Saturday night after figuring in an eight-round majority draw with Mark Joseph Costa at the Amparo Village in Caloocan.

“I haven’t told my parents what happened to Karlo and I don’t know how to break the news,” said Tiu Co, the youngest of three brothers – Roger and Rodrigo – who co-own the Cooyeesan Hotel Plaza. “I’m calling out to friends in media for healing priest Fr. (Fernando) Suarez to visit Karlo in the hospital. We’re praying for a miracle. We know whatever happens is God’s will.”

Since he was admitted into the hospital, Maquinto’s condition has remained the same. He is in critical condition and according to doctors, could go anytime. Maquinto’s sister Virgie, who works as a caregiver in Quezon City, brought over their mother Marjorie and brother Arnold from Barangay Maribong, Lambunao, Iloilo to the hospital last Sunday. They flew in on one-way plane tickets.

“Karlo is on life support,” said Tiu Co. “I understand that if he is taken off life support, he will go. As long as he doesn’t deteriorate and his blood pressure is normal, the decision is to keep him on life support. His condition is being monitored closely by (neurosurgeon) Dr. (Rhoby) Orata, neurologist Dr. (Grace) De Guzman and attending physician Dr. (Vic) Chua. Karlo is on sensory three level and that’s why they can’t operate. He is in a deep coma. Every day, they check his sensory level and there is no change.”

Virgie told The Star yesterday afternoon that Maquinto was to be given nutrition through a nasogastric tube and his blood pressure was 160 over 90.

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Tiu Co couldn’t hold back his tears when he said he’s prepared for the worst. “I’ve spoken with his mother, sister and brother,” he said. “Whatever arrangements are to be done, I’m on stand-by, for them to just relay to me. I visit Karlo every day. Nobody expected this to happen.”

A noted neurologist said in Maquinto’s inoperable condition, his brain will just pop out once doctors open his skull to drain the blood because of the pressure from the clot. One side of the brain has shifted to the other, creating an imbalance that is life-threatening. Surgery could lead to death on the operating table under the circumstances. A CT-Scan revealed a massive hemorrhage in the brain. It’s not certain if Maquinto sustained the injury during the fight or a previous injury was exacerbated.

What is certain is the paramedics in a stand-by ambulance weren’t prepared to care for Maquinto when the tragedy happened. There was no provision for oxygen, neck brace or slantboard. When Maquinto’s knees buckled after ring announcer Boy Villanera announced the judges’ decision, Games and Amusements Board (GAB) ring physicians Dr. Redentor Viernes and Dr. Mae Banes rushed to his aid. In a TV video, Dr. Banes was heard calling for oxygen as Maquinto lay prostrate on the canvas. A stretcher was rolled in from the ambulance and Maquinto was clumsily dragged from the ring onto the gurney. Tiu Co and Dr. Viernes accompanied Maquinto in the ambulance. He was initially taken to San Lorenzo General Hospital in Lagro then the FEU-NRMF Medical Center.

Was there a lapse on the GAB’s part not to inspect the ambulance facilities which should have included a provision for oxygen? Note that the GAB boxing chief is Dr. Nasser Cruz and there were two GAB doctors at ringside that fateful night.

After the tragedy, referee Bruce McTavish refused to work the next fight until organizers provided an oxygen tank on stand-by. That caused a delay of over 30 minutes but McTavish stood his ground.

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Was referee Eddie Nobleza to blame? Maquinto was decked twice in the second round by Costa but got up to nearly floor his opponent in the same stanza. A check on the three judges scorecards showed that they scored the next four rounds for Maquinto, meaning he clearly recovered from the two knockdowns. One judge, Sammy Bernabe, even scored the eighth round for Maquinto. Another judge, Noel Haduca, awarded rounds three to seven to Maquinto. In the end, Bernabe and Haduca saw it 75-all while judge Virgilio Garcia scored it 75-74 for Costa. All three judges scored the second round, 10-7, for Costa due to the two knockdowns.

Nobleza said he saw Maquinto walk back to his corner at the end of the fight and didn’t notice anything wrong. It was only after Villanera announced the verdict that Maquinto turned pale. Maquinto reached out to embrace Costa then his knees buckled. He was helped back to his corner and propped on a stool before he was laid flat on his back.

Veteran international referee Bruce McTavish said Nobleza was right in allowing the fight to continue despite the two knockdowns and Maquinto’s recovery proved it. Another veteran referee Silvestre Abainza said Nobleza could’ve checked on the condition of both fighters in between rounds because they clearly received severe punishment during the brawl.  

The irony was Maquinto wasn’t even supposed to fight that night. He was an insert in the card as Tiu Co asked promoter Gerry Peñalosa to accommodate the fighter at no cost. Peñalosa said Tiu Co took care of Maquinto’s purse.