DAR chief opting for silence over son's golf brawl

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman has now opted to keep silent about the alleged beating incident involving his two sons at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City last week.

He reiterated his apology “to the public” and “not to the De la Pazes” for what he termed as an “unfortunate incident” at one of the country’s oldest golf clubs a day after Christmas.

In an interview, Pangandaman politely declined to give further statements regarding the matter, but said that his two sons would definitely file charges of physical injuries against businessman Delfin de la Paz, 56, who is likewise poised to file a similar case against them.

Pangandaman told The STAR that he is leaving it to his lawyers to decide whether to push through with the libel case he is contemplating against De la Paz.

“I would not want to say anymore because the issue is only getting bigger and might just go out of hand. There is an ongoing investigation so let us just wait for the result of that investigation,” he said.

“But I am reiterating my apology to the public, especially my fellow golfers at the Valley Golf... nadadamay pa tuloy sila (they were dragged in)… for this unfortunate incident,” he said.

As this developed, the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City placed under temporary preventive suspension the Pangandamans and De la Paz while it conducts its investigation on the tee house row.

Pangandaman said he has been a member of Valley Golf for more than five years. The son, Nasser, however, was similarly suspended because he is considered a dependent of his father. 

Meanwhile, the Calabarzon police vowed yesterday to maintain a neutral stand on the case.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said they would give both the camps of Pangandaman and De la Paz equal opportunity to file cases against each other.

But Palad pointed out that only De la Paz has filed a formal complaint before the Antipolo City police and they are ready to file physical injuries and child abuse charges against Nasser Jr. and six others.

“We wanted the court to decide on the issue,” Palad said, expressing hope that Pangandaman’s camp would give their side on the incident to police investigators rather than to media.

Earlier, the lawyer of the Pangandamans called up the Police Community Precinct 1 (PCP1) in Barangay Masinag to convey their intention to surface and file a formal complaint against the De la Pazes.

Palad reiterated yesterday that they are ready to file charges against the sons of the Cabinet official but could not do so because no prosecutor has reported for work at the Antipolo City prosecutor’s office due to the long holidays.