Much ado over the Dela Paz – Pangandaman ‘match’ at Valley Golf

I never thought that the dela Paz – Pangandaman match (some say mauling) at Valley Golf and Country Club, Antipolo City would create that much stir among bloggers and the media. I can understand the media people because that is their job to pick up whatever they think of as news-worthy events. Bloggers (like me) would also understand the outpouring of support for the dela Pazes as Bambee dela Paz (sister and daughter of the alleged victims) is a fellow blogger, who first posted the incident in her blog http://vicissitude-decidido.blogspot.com/. It was already detailed enough in that blog so I won’t get down to the details of the story/issue here. Rather, I shall endeavour to present the middle side of the story even if there are only limited sources from the side of the Pangandamans. One side of the story, even if how detailed, does not guarantee the whole truth.

Nasser Pangandaman Sr.

I have read and re-read the whole story from Bambee dela Paz’ own account of the incident in her blog and I was looking for the other side of the story, say from the Pangandamans, but I can only source it out from the media (print and tv). Of course, Sec. Pangandaman insisted that it was not his son-Mayor, much more his bodyguards, who started the fight. I would say it was a fight ( or rumble) and not mauling – these two terms are worlds apart. It was incidental that in the fight that ensued one party was outnumbered by the other party, and so, the superior force as always, would be tagged the mauler, and the other – the victim. The truth of the matter was – everybody was angry at somebody, everybody wants to hit somebody and nobody exercised self-restraint. Even then, Sec. Pangandaman offered his apology to the dela Pazes. From all indications, that was a sign of sobriety and civility on the part of Sec. Pangandaman.

Delfin dela Paz

The elder dela Paz (Delfin) admitted having used a closed umbrella “to defend himself”. Whether that was the first ‘hit’ or not, only the caddies on duty who have closely watched that incident could tell. We can, of course, ascertain at this point that there was verbal altercation before somebody started to hit someone.

It can be easily gleaned from the comments of the fellow bloggers that they had pre-judged the Pangandamans as the initiator of the fight (or maulers). There is no way to argue against them (or call for sobriety) in the comment section of Bambee’s blog or the others who have re-posted the same story in their respective blogs. Doing so would be exposing oneself within the range of fire (or ire) of the bloggers who are 99.9% pro dela Pazes. If you believe all of them, you will be convinced outright that the Pangandamans (or the Mayor – the younger Pangandaman) deserved to be hanged. (You may visit this blog site as it gives another damning balanced treatment of the incident: http://midfield.wordpress.com/2008/12/29/scandalizing-the-suffering-the-pangandaman-dela-paz-melee/).

However, one blogger’s comment got me pondering as it was probably the only source that gives a picture, at least, of who the dela Pazes were/are. I quote a portion of that comment: “Bambee, together with her mother fanning herself like crazy, joined my friend in his putting green, stroking the house balls here and there, oblivious to the presence of my friend. Golf etiquette 101: this is not beig courteous. the same issue they used against the pangandamans. Fortunately my friend is no Pangandaman and so the scandal happened days later and not involved my friend. After around 30 minutes of pure arrogance and “I am a champion and who are you” attitude from Bambee, she and her mother left my friend in the practice green with the 12 house balls strewn all around. Etiquette 101 again: this is not being couteous. The ball holders clearly bore the sign ‘replace after use.’ Well, the arrogant dela Pazes met their match in the equally arrogant Pangandamans.”

I also left a comment that I thought was neutral as I honestly meant it to be that way. But it was rather acknowledged by some bloggers as the “official Pangandaman side of the story..” In a way, the Pangdamans would also, most probably, want it that way. I suggested to leave the matter to the court after going through the volley of comments/opinions on the issue, only to find out one blogger-host’s childish imputations on the suggestion. Does he want to render his own judgment of the case which he has already pre-judged? How differently shallow! What a show of yet another arrogance!

Now I know why some people only appear to be intelligent.