MANILA, Philippines - The Wack Wack Golf and Country Club (WWGCC) management has imposed a two-month suspension on Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II for violating the rules and regulations of the golf club.
Francisco Legarda, WWGCC general manager, announced the suspension.
“The sanction imposed on Mr. Roxas is consistent with actions taken by the club to uphold its policies and to maintain good order at all times for the enjoyment of the club by its members and their dependents and guests,†said Legarda in a statement.
With the suspension, Legarda said Wack Wack now considered the “matter closed†and would “move on†from the alleged incident, wherein Roxas shouted at an employee for asking him to pay green fees for a golf pro.
“WWGCC is a private club. It is a basic and time-honored policy of the club to protect its privacy and that of its members. It is therefore our desire that with this statement and the action taken on this incident, we shall now consider this matter closed and move on,†Legarda added.
Roxas said he learned about the decision of the WWGCC on the incident and he has acceded to the ruling, although he maintained that he did not curse anyone and did not mean to hurt or insult anyone.
“Naipaabot na sa akin ang desisyon ng Wack Wack. I do not consider myself above any law, rule, or regulation; accordingly I accede to it,†said Roxas in a statement.
“I have already apologized for any infractions or hurt feelings as a result of this misunderstanding over the payment of green fees for non-players. It was not my intention to hurt or insult anyone, and I did not curse at anyone either. Uulitin ko po, wala akong intensyon na manakit ng kahit na sino, at lalong wala akong minurang tao,†said Roxas.
The DILG secretary said he has been a member/player in Wack-Wack for more than 20 years and he has no record of any infractions.
“I have had absolutely no record of misdemeanor or any inappropriate behavior in all these years at sa haba nitong panahon ni minsan wala akong nakaaway o nakagalitan. Wala sa puso ko na sirain ang magandang relasyon ko sa mga caddy, empleyado at miyembro ng (and in all this time I have not fought with anyone. I have no desire to sour my good relations with the caddies, employees and members of the) Wack Wack family,†he added.
A report submitted to the Wack Wack administration showed the incident took place on April 6, a Sunday, at around noon at the club’s registration office. Before the incident, Roxas informed the staff that his guest would be getting golf lessons from professional golfer Rey Pagunsan.
The staff told Roxas that he needed to pay the green fee of P5,100 for Pagunsan, but Roxas reportedly lost his cool and shouted at the staff member.
A witness recalled that the commotion attracted the attention of Roxas’ wife, broadcaster Korina Sanchez, who asked if there was a problem. Roxas eventually left the registration office.
When he was about to tee off, another course employee asked for the receipt of the green fee but Roxas reportedly snarled at him.