Written by Manny F. Piñol - Vice Governor, North Cotabato
http://www.cotabatoprov.gov.ph/
Sunday, 11 November 2007
Much has been said and written in the media about the incident last Friday, Nov. 9, at the Davao City Golf Club where I allegedly struck a South Korean national with a golf club causing him injuries.
It is unfortunate that the media trivialized the incident and made it appear like an ordinary fracas between hotheaded individuals. Had the media investigated deeper, they would have appreciated the bigger picture that would explain why it had to happen.
I actually did not play golf that morning. I was whiling my time on the putting green in between the clubhouse and the 9th hole while waiting for an appointment at noontime when a Filipino golfer who happens to be a friend came up to me to complain that a South Korean national who was playing behind him with two others (an elder man and a woman) hit a ball towards him and even shouted at him.
That is a no-no in the game of golf which is considered as a gentleman’s game. But more than that I thought that it was very rude on the part of a foreigner to do that to a Filipino right in his homeland.
I advised the Filipino golfer to talk to the Korean which he did as soon as the three got off the 9th green. Instead of apologizing, I heard the Korean shout at the Filipino saying that the reason why he did it was because the Filipino was playing slow.
There was an exchange of heated words from the two prompting me to step forward and tell the Korean that if the Filipino was playing slow, he should just have told his caddy to advise the player in front of him to play faster. “Do not shout at Filipinos. We Filipinos do not like to be shouted at. You are just a visitor in this country. This is not South Korea,” I told the foreigner. Instead of heeding my advice, however, he turned at me and started shouting at me too prompting me to confront him.
I was carrying the putter which I was using on the practice green and as I was nearing him he shouted: “Common hit me, hit me!” I wanted to hit him right there and then but his older companion came to me and appeased me. It was at this point when he poked his golf club at my face, prompting me to parry the club and hit him. He tried to fight back but people nearby pushed him back.
The Davao City Golf Club Board of Directors has issued an order banning that South Korean from ever playing in the golf course not only because of that incident last Friday but also because of previous incidents where he displayed arrogance and lack of courtesy and respect to other players.
Should I be embarrassed that I was involved in that incident? No! I believe I did the right thing. I cannot allow a foreigner to insult a Filipino right in his own home. I will never allow a foreigner to poke his golf club at my face and not do anything about it.
I am even sorry that that was the only damage I inflicted on him for all of the insults he hurled at that Filipino golfer and at me. I should have and could have done better.
Many foreign nationals look down upon us simply because we cannot even stand up and fight for our dignity as a people. And I thought I imparted that message to that rude and arrogant South Korean.
I have nothing against Koreans in general. Many of them are my friends. But this particular Korean should be taught a lesson on how to behave in a country where he is just a visitor.
I would have wanted to keep silent on this issue because I felt I had delivered the message but since the media have trivialized this issue to the point of making me look like a hotheaded hooligan, I will pursue my effort to teach this foreigner a lesson.
Today, I will ask my lawyers to petition the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation to initiate summary proceedings for the deportation of this rude and arrogant foreigner from my country.
The complaint filed by the Filipino golfer with the police department of Davao City and my own affidavit including the statements of those who witnessed the incident will be submitted to the BID.
This particular foreigner must be taught a lesson that we Filipinos could stand up to fight for and protect our dignity as a people.
With this statement, I hope the media now would be able to appreciate the bigger picture. Beyond the swinging of the golf clubs and the welts resulting from that, there is a story of a Filipino who will stand up and fight for his and his people’s honor and dignity.
