Penniless Suralla fighters cash in

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan–A pair of South Cotabato natives and a home-grown lady boxer made the biggest impact in Day 4 as action intensified in the 2003 National Open Men and Women Amateur Boxing Championships at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum here.

Pinweight Lord Vemen Bautista and featherweight Rodillo Lotillo, who almost did not make it here due to funding and transportation problems, downed their respective foes to barge into the semifinals of this weeklong event.

Bautista, 17, wore a pair of borrowed boxing shoes from RP pool member Edmund Doronilla and went on to edge Cotabato’s Dennis Jutillano, 45-43, while Lotillo, a 22-year-old high school graduate who is also a CAFGU volunteer in Suralla, turned back Puerto Princesa’s Mark Jerson Baja, 30-24, in a pair of wins that assured them of at least a bronze medal.

"Maniwala kayo sa hindi muntik na kaming hindi makapunta dito, said Bautista. "Wala kasi talaga kaming pera, kung hindi ko pa iniyakan yung sumoporta sa amin baka wala kami dito."

But the biggest triumph of the day came from Palawan’s Josie Cabuco, who bucked the odds in stunning fancied Rodalla Flores of Baguio City with a dramatic, come-from-behind 54-48 decision that drew wild cheers from her hometown crowd including Gov. Reyes.

In a display of courage, the 16-year-old Cabuco came out of a punishing first two rounds with a barrage of punches in the third and final round to shock Flores, a national team mainstay.

That was enough to trigger a frantic celebration by huge home crowd, including Cabuco’s mother, Loreta, who stood in silence proud of her daughter’s feat.

"Masakit din sa isang ina na nakikita ang anak niyang nasasaktan," said Loreta referring to the last of her nine siblings. "Pero ang iniisip ko na lang manalo man o matalo siya basta lumalaban hanggang sa huli, masaya na rin ako."

Also making their moves were the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy.

The Air Force sent three of its bets into the semifinals thanks to wins by Decembrix Ambray (feather), Dick Varron (fly) and Neil Postolero (light welter) while the Navy had two of its boxers advancing in the next phase courtesy of Johny Cadigal (pin) and Arestio Gorra (fly).

In middleweight action, the Army’s Maximo Tabangcora overwhelmed Airman Marc Joy Tagbe, 64-31, while light welterweight Ronnie Masicapo came out the lone survivor from the Romeo Brin-coached Puerto Princesa team with an RSC-O verdict over Leonardo Bolanes of Arena Fitness Gym-Quezon City.

Baguio City’s Alice Kate Aparri and Noemi Pe-keng made up for Flores‚ surprise downfall by outclassing their respective assignments.