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JUSTICE,
not money, is what North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Piñol
wants against his former ward Diosdado Gabi.
This was
Pinol’s reaction after reports came out that a Davao
City court issued a warrant of arrest for Gabi
pertaining to a case filed by the Mindanao
sportsman-politician against the troubled fighter.
“Nagtataka
ako kung bakit nire-revive ng grupo ni Gabi
itong kaso. I have even forgotten it already,”
said an incensed Piñol in an interview with
BusinessMirror. “I filed it in 2005 when he fled along
with Michael Koncz to the US.”
Piñol
said he wants justice because this is not the first time
that Gabi abandoned his benefactor.
“We
filed a case against Gabi not because we want to get him
back. No. Marami kaming boksingerong mas
magaling kay Gabi. Number two, I’m not after Gabi’s
money because he has no money.”
According to Piñol, Gabi also deserted former manager
Roger Sumampong whom the boxer accused of pocketing his
boxing earnings.
“Sinabi
ni Gabi na hindi binibigay ni Roger ’yung
premyo niya. Naniwala naman kami kaya kinuha namin siya
and binayaran si Roger ng P150,000 para i-surrender
‘yung managerial rights,” disclosed Piñol.
Pinol
said the warrant of arrest was actually issued in 2005.
The arrest warrant was issued by Judge Antonina
Escovilla of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch
2.
“I dare
anybody na kausapin ninyo kahit na sinong pulis sa
Davao, walang makapagsasabi na nilapitan ko sila para
ipaaresto si Gabi.,” added Piñol. “Because I’m not
interested in sending Gabi to prison.”
Piñol, a
three-term governor who also had a distinguished career
as a boxing broadcaster and columnist, chastised Gabi
for making it appear that he was mistreated during their
short-lived promotional and managerial partnership which
started in 2002.
“Ni
minsan hindi ako kumuha ni singko sa premyo ng mga
boksingero namin. From the very start hindi namin
kinuhanan ng pera ang mga boksingero namin because
we love boxing,” said Piñol. “I have squandered a
fortune in my 20 years sa boxing. Si Gabi
lang ang nagreklamo na hindi namin ibinibigay ang
premyo.”
Piñol
said that boxing is his passion and that nurturing
potential world beaters of the sport is his way of
giving the country more honors through boxing.
Piñol
filed a case against Gabi for violating their managerial
contract. In the case Pinol sought P4.8 million from
Gabi, an amount which was said to be what the sportsman
invested in the boxer.
Piñol
said a number of concerned personalities have asked him
to forgive Gabi.
“Papaano
ko papatawarin ’yan eh hindi naman siya marunong humingi
ng tawad. When we met sa Las Vegas he greeted me
good morning, binati ko din ng good morning.
Siguro kung nagsabi siya ng sorry, eh di OK,”
revealed Piñol.
Piñol
promoted Gabi’s fights until the boxer won the World
Boxing Council (WBC) International flyweight crown in a
major card promoted by Piñol in Cotabato City.
Based on
the records of the case, Pinol claimed that Gabi
received P150,000 in cash advance in May 2005 for his
bout against WBC No. 5 flyweight contender Rosendo
Alvarez of
Nicaragua.
After
receiving the amount, Pinol said that Gabi never showed
up again in his gym. Pinol was able to talk to Gabi’s
father who claimed that the boxer has decided to retire
from boxing and tend to their farm.
They
later learned that Gabi left for the United States with
Koncz, a Canadian agent who once gained the trust of
Pinol in helping their boxers to campaign in the US.
Meanwhile, Pinol hopes to be of help among Filipino
boxing fans in terms of getting adequate information
with their favorite boxers as he has now created a new
boxing website.
The
website’s address is
www.thepinoyboxers.com where Pinol will be joined by
close friends and fellow columnists Recah Trinidad, Al
Mendoza and Hermie Rivera and a slew of upcoming
writers. |
