INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines –(UPDATE) As a "father and a government official,” Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman apologized for the brawl involving his family and that of a businessman at an exclusive golf club in Antipolo City last Friday.

"Humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa nangyari [I am apologizing for the incident]. As a government official, hindi ko rin gusto ang nangyari [I also did not want what happened]. Nasaktan ang pamilya ko, nasaktan din ang pamilya de la Paz [My family got hurt and so did the family of De la Paz] ... Hindi ko tinatalikuran ang responsibility ko [I am not turning back on my responsibility] as a government official and a father," Pangandaman said in an interview on radio dzBB.

Pangandaman was referring to the brawl that broke out between members of his family and Delfin De la Paz and the latter's 14-year old son at the Valley Golf and Country Club last Friday.

Both had claimed that the other had started the fight that resulted in injuries to De la Paz and his son, Bino, a junior golfer and a first year high school student at the Ateneo de Manila University.

The two were allegedly beaten up by Pangandaman’s sons, Nasser Jr., a Lanao del Sur town mayor; Hussein; and their bodyguards over accusations of violations of golf etiquette.

Pangandaman has denied that his sons attacked the De la Pazes. He said it was the businessman who first hit one of his sons with an umbrella.

A case is pending before the Antipolo police women and children’s desk.

Pangandaman said that his "New Year's wish" was to see the case immediately resolved.