Friday, November 16, 2007 Korean tries to apologize but it was too late: Piñol By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE Korean national who was hit with a golf club by North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol reportedly attempted to meet with the former governor to apologize, but the attempt was already too late as Piñol was already scheduled to meet with Bureau of Immigration officials in Manila.
Reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed that a group of Korean nationals residing in Davao City appealed to Piñol and asked for a meeting so Young Yun Yuon could apologize.
"Gov if you consider pa, please give him one more chance. He wants to meet this lunchtime. I will make sure he apologizes to you personally for his behavior. Nandito din four children niya at wife. Kawawa naman. Bigyan na lang natin sya ng lesson," a text message by the unidentified Korean group to Piñol reads.
In a telephone interview, Piñol however said the effort is already too late as he is already in Metro Manila and is scheduled to talk with the BI officials regarding the deportation case he filed against Youn.
Piñol earlier admitting hitting Youn with a club but said his action on the Korean was an act of defending not just himself but the honor of the Filipinos which, he said, the Korean had derided during the incident.
Piñol said he was at the Davao City Golf Club on Friday last week when a fellow Filipino golfer identified as Gary Santiago informed him that the Korean was disrespectful and arrogant while playing at the golf course.
He said he advised Santiago to talk with the Korean and settle matters peaceably. A few minutes later, Piñol overheard the Korean shouting at the Filipino golfer prompting Piñol to come to the aid of Santiago.
"Do not shout at the Filipinos, we don't like to be shouted at. You are just a visitor here in our country. This is not South Korea," Piñol narrated as having told the Korean.
The Korean then shifted his anger at Piñol and shouted at the vice governor. Piñol approached the Korean with his golf club, which the vice governor was using at the putting green.
As he approached, the Korean was challenging him to a fight.
"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," Piñol said.
The Korean allegedly tried to fight back but local people in the golf club pushed the Korean away from Piñol.
The Korean allegedly threatened to call the police and have Piñol arrested. It turned out later that the police instead arrested the foreigner after the vice governor filed complaints against him.
Piñol said his lawyers have filed deportation charges against the Korean so he will be kicked out of the country. The golf club has also banned the Korean from playing in the golf club again due to numerous complaints from other players.
"Foreigners like this do not deserve to stay even a single minute in our country," Piñol said.
The Korean has a different story though. Young Yun Youn said Piñol meddled in an argument between him and Santiago. Yuon claimed that the vice governor tried to hit him with a club but he was able to block it with his left arm.
"Then Piñol came to me and tried to hit me... then I said, 'Hit me!' but then he didn't hit me... but he came back and hit me with the golf club," said Youn.
Youn filed charges against Piñol and even vowed to withdraw his visa from the Philippines.
"My family was very happy living here in Davao but not now. I will withdraw my visa and go back to Korea. I will never come back here," he said.
The vice governor rued how the media trivialized the incident. He said stories that came out earlier made the incident appear that it was just a fight between two hotheaded individuals.
"Had the media investigated deeper, they would have appreciated the bigger picture that would explain why it had to happen," Piñol said.
"This particular foreigner must be taught a lesson that we Filipinos could fight and protect our dignity as a people," he ended.
