Senate leader wants explanation for Cebu boxer mauled in Argentina

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

SENATE President Juan Ponce Enrile moved to recall the Filipino ambassador to Argentina even as he demanded explanation from the Argentinian ambassador in the Philippines for the mauling of Cebu-based boxer in Buenos Aires after he beat a local favorite.

The incident, the subject of a privilege speech by Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, saw boxer John Riel Casimero--a Mandaue City resident--beaten by the crowd after he bested Argentinian Luis Alberto Lazarte in a match.

"Casimero, along with his trainer Christopher Tepora, and boxing manager and promoter Samson Gello-Ani suffered serious injuries," Sotto said, adding in Filipino that "Casimiro was already out of the ring and he was still being mauled."

Citing the Argentinian crowd's trampling of Filipino honor and dignity as human beings, Enrile moved to have "the Senate to unanimously order the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) to recall the Philippine Ambassador to Argentina."

The Senate President also called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to "call the (Argentinian) ambassador to this country and ask him to explain why they have the temerity to assault the flag, honor, and dignity of the country and the individual."

Enrile said the Senate has authority to call to bring home Ambassador Rey Carandang since it forms, with members of the House of Representatives, the Commission on Appointments, which vets and confirms the appointments of DFA consular officers.

"We are the confirming body for any ambassador and any official of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the ratifying body for any treaty. We exercise our power for this purpose," Enrile said.

According to Sotto, Casimero, originally from Ormoc, used to be with the national amateur boxing champion. Casimero also won the Philippine Boxing Federation flyweight championship, the World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific light flyweight title, and the WBO light flyweight title, the Senate leader said.

The fight with Lazarte was for the International Boxing Federation Junior Flyweight Championship. After Casimero won by technical knockout, "the partisan Argentinian crowd started throwing bottled water, debris, and finally, chairs, hitting , striking, and aiming at the Filipino boxer and his entourage," Sotto said before showing a video of the incident.

Casimero fights out of International Pharmaceutical Inc. Gym in Mandaue. (Sunnex)