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By Isagani P. Palma Correspondent
(Part 1)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY: A beleaguered Filipino boxer finally broke his
silence and revealed to The Manila Times how fellow boxer Angelito
Sisnorio, a close friend, was killed in Thailand.
“We were just poor ring
fighters who were in search of greener pastures,” recalled Michael
Collado Rodriguez. “And we became victims of extreme brutality and
manipulation in another country.”
Rodriguez was among the Filipino
boxers who went to Thailand but managed to escape from his illegal
recruiters.
“I witnessed how Sisnorio
was beaten up by 3-K Battery, a Thai boxer with almost the same
features as the Thai boxer who lost to PacMan. His blood splattered
the ring, it was everywhere, during Angelito’s fight with the
giant Thai boxer,” said a misty-eyed Rodriguez.
Reports said among those who
suffered most in the hands of foreign boxing promoters was Angelito
Sisnorio of Koronadal City, who died of internal bleeding
caused by severe beating during a mismatched bout in Thailand.
Sisnorio died before the eyes of “bloodthirsty” Thai
boxing fans and other foreign nationals who yelled with delight
every time a Filipino boxer hit the canvass, Rodriguez continued in
an exclusive interview in Maasim, Tuesday.
Along with Sisnorio and other
illegally hired Filipino boxers, Rodriguez went to Thailand on
the first week of March 2006.
“After sensing that we were all
trapped by a syndicate, I did all my best to escape and fly back to
the Philippines using the meager money I’ve earned from boxing,”
said Rodriguez, adding that, “I felt so much pity for myself since
I could not move my arms and legs anymore due to severe mauling.”
He said, he fought twice on March
2006, two weeks after they reached Thailand.
“Hindi pa nga nawawala ang
pamamaga ng aming mga mukha at katawan ay sinasabak na naman kami
muli sa labanan. Hindi ako nanalo kahit minsan dahil sa sobrang laki
ng aming mga kalaban,” said Rodriguez between sobs.
He recalled that on February 10,
2006, Thai promoters who promised them good salaries recruited him
and Sisnorio.
Rodriguez, 25, single, and a
resident of General Santos City, said because of low educational
attainment, he had nothing in mind at that time but how to help his
family. He said the promoters promised to take care of his documents.
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