Pangandamans, De la Paz to file charges today

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman disclosed yesterday that his two sons would file criminal charges against a businessman in connection with the brawl at Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City last Dec. 26.

Delfin de la Paz and his family, on the other hand, will also file two counts of child abuse against the Pangandaman brothers at 8 a.m. today at the Antipolo City Prosecutors Office, Atty. Raymund Fortun, the family’s legal counsel disclosed.

Pangandaman confirmed to The STAR that his sons Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. of Masui, Lanao del Sur, and Hussein would be filing charges today against De la Paz at the Antipolo City Prosecutors Office.

The secretary said he is not sure what charges his sons would file against De la Paz whom the Pangandamans claimed to have started the brawl. Charges of physical injuries could be filed against the businessman.

De la Paz, 56 and his son Bino Lorenzo, 14, earlier claimed that Nasser Jr. and Hussein and their companions beat them up during an altercation at the Valley Golf and Country Club.

Nasser Jr. claimed that what he did was only in self-defense after the elder De la Paz attacked him with a golf umbrella.

De la Paz said the quarrel started when Nasser Jr. breached golf etiquette by overtaking their flight at the South Course.

The elder De la Paz said he and his son would push through with the filing of physical injuries and child abuse charges against the sons of Secretary Pangandaman.

“After all that has been said and done, ngayon sa korte na lang magkita-kita. Let the court decide,” Secretary Pangandaman said.

He said that aside from the criminal charges, Nasser Jr. might also file a libel suit against the De la Pazes in Lanao del Sur after a blog was circulated in the Internet vilifying the Pangandaman family. 

The elder Pangandaman also threatened to file his own libel suit against the De la Pazes for allegedly spreading false information on the Valley Golf incident.

Pangandaman also appealed to bloggers “to have the conscience” to stop vilifying his family, as he admitted that they are “already hurting very much” because of the unfortunate incident and the consequent condemnation that his family has been receiving since the infamous scuffle at Valley Golf.

The Pangandamans were in Subic, Zambales over the weekend, where they took the “much-needed break” amid the controversy, which resulted from an alleged mauling incident at Valley Golf.

Secretary Pangandaman has vehemently denied the allegations and insisted that De la Paz and his son Bino and daughter Bambee started the quarrel.

Immediately after the incident, Bambee wrote in her blog detailing what supposedly transpired at the golf club. 

The blog allegedly fanned criticisms against the Pangandamans, with some even accusing the agrarian reform secretary and his son of abusing their authority.

“I condemn their accusations against my family, it’s very unfair. Character assassination na ito e,” he added.

Pangandaman also dismissed reports that he might be among those to be affected by an impending revamp in the Arroyo Cabinet because of the Valley Golf altercation.

He said that he was not aware of any revamp and that President Arroyo never mentioned anything about it when they were at Baguio City last week.

Pangandaman said that he serves at the pleasure of the President, even as he expressed confidence that he is doing well in the Cabinet.