by ALEX P. Vidal
When two top officials of the old Iloilo provincial capitol trans-formed the governor’s office into a boxing arena, I did not only witness the bloody encounter, the event became my baptism of fire as boxing referee.
The brawl between then deputy governor Ruben Bermudo and provincial toursim chief Manny Benedicto at around 11 o’clock in the morning on July 3, 1990 exploded while DYRI Radyo Agong reporter Arsenio "Kamlon" Ang and I were doing interview with vice governor Robert "Bob" Maroma, who was then the acting governor.
There were only five of us in the governor’s office present— Maroma, Bermudo, Benedicto, Ang and I who had just won his labor case in the Supreme Court against the defunct DYRP "Radyo Tagring."
DAGGER
Even before the start of interview, we noticed Messrs. Benedicto and Bermudo, then in their mid 50’s, giving dagger looks against each other. At one moment, Bermudo removed his eyeglasses ala Eddie Garcia to plant a sharp stare at Benedicto, who recip-rocated with his own ala Pacquito Diaz look.
Some five minutes while Maroma was answering our questions, the two disappeared—they entered the conference room located about four meters away from us. Then we heard a commotion inside. The noise didn’t stop Maroma from talking but our eyes — Maroma’s, Ang’s, mine — were exchanging tacit signals alternately like actors in a silent movie.
When the conference room’s divider started to shake violently and two angry voices dishing out unprintables, Maroma stood from his seat and rushed to the scene. I grabbed my camera and followed suit. Kamlon stayed and was scrambling to prepare his radio tape recorder.
THROATS
Inside, we saw two gladiators literally holding at each other’s throats on one hand and throwing rabbit punches on the other hand. Blows went raining from all angles— a choatic scene! Maroma tried to separate the two but was in awkward position and could receive one of the flying fists flat on the face if he forced the issue.
So determined were the two Capitol bigwigs to maim each other that they refused to let go of their grips — Benedicto’s shaking fingers came closed to drilling holes on Bermudo’s neck; Bermudo locking Benedicto’s jaw with a tight Steven Segal grip. Both were gasping for their breath like sprinters in the 100-meter dash, their false teeth threatening to jump from their mouths. Maroma lost his balance on his second attempt to act as third man in the ring.
PHOTOS
Instead of taking photos, I grabbed Benedicto’s hand to prevent his fingers from committing cannibalism. Having lost much energy, he obliged. Bermudo, also fighting for air in his lungs, let go of Benedicto’s jaw but not after leaving some scratches on his newly shaved skin.
"Tama na ina!" (That’s enough)," Maroma, who was himself losing some energy — and patience, shouted while scratching his head in disgust.
When the smoke had cleared, the protagonists could manage to release Mona Lisa-like smiles as if King Kong did not vandalize their mangled faces. Either the pain from their violent physical activity did not yet take its toll on their system or they were ashamed for acting worst than their grandsons and tried to suppress it.
No arrest was made even as Maroma hinted of slapping the misbehaving officials with administrative cases. Kamlon, who hit a jackpot with his tape recorded eye-witness account, had a field day repeatedly playing the violent episode to friends and politicians, including Bermudo and Benedicto, who just grinned to hide their embarrassment.
MISS RP-GUAM
We found out their conflict emanated from the province’s preparations for the arrival of the Miss Philippines-Guam in Iloilo that year. As tourism boss, Benedicto begrudged Bermudo’s decision to bypass his authority and disapprove some items in the budget, among other reasons.
If there was one person so terribly upset and mournful that morning, it was neither Benedicto nor Bermudo; it was Maroma, whose interview with us had been cut off unceremoniously; thus, he failed to deliver an important message to people as acting governor as news the following day was dominated by his warring subalterns’ ignominy. /MP
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