Trial by publicity and mismatched

Episode on April 28, 2009 Tuesday night after Saksi TRIAL BY PUBLICITY? Report by Jiggy Manicad News anchor Ted Failon's wife, Trinidad Etong has finally been laid to rest. But while her family and kin believe Mrs. Etong committed suicide, an investigation is now being conducted to determine all angles which might have caused her death. The National Bureau of Investigation has yet to release an official statement on the result of the investigation but police and experts have already been vocal to the media about their own musings and suspicions on the tragedy. Critics say this may very well turn the tragedy into not just a circus but also a trial by publicity thereby negatively affecting its possible outcome. What went wrong in dealing with the case? MISMATCHED Report by Lala Roque For most professional Filipino boxers, boxing is not just a sport but a means to survive. But there have been numerous cases where the fight for the championship becomes a struggle for one's own life. Sources claim that the practice of matching veterans to newcomers is rampant and knowingly participated in by promoters, managers and boxers who willingly submit themselves to bigger and better opponents in exchange for money. Sadly this has claimed numerous lives over the years as in the case of Eugene Barutag and Lito Sisnorio who died in Thailand in 1995 and 2007 respectively. Even as the Games and Amusement Board imposed a nationwide ban on Filipino boxers competing in Thailand before, professional boxers continue to battle overseas because simply there is not enough money in the Philippines to make their dreams come true. Worse, managers and promoters reportedly pay little to budding talents here forcing professional boxers to do menial jobs in lieu of their training. Has the government been remiss in protecting our boxers' rights?

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TRIAL BY PUBLICITY? Ulat ni Jiggy Manicad Inilibing na si Trinidad Etong, ang asawa ng brodkaster na si Ted Failon. Paniwala ng pamilya, nag-suicide si Ginang Etong. Sa gitna nito, isang imbestigasyon ang isinasagawa ng National Bureau of Investigation upang alamin ang tunay na dahilan ng kaniyang pagkamatay. Pero bagamat wala pang opisyal na resulta mula sa mga otoridad, wala namang tigil sa pagbibigay ng pahayag noon ang pulisya at mga ekspertong kinuha upang magsagawa ng sarili nilang imbestigasyon sa kaso. Ang masaklap, minsa'y hindi nagtutugma ang kanilang mga sinasabi. Tila malaya silang nakakapagbibigay ng anumang pahayag sa publiko. Ayon sa ilan, hindi dapat hinahayaan ang pagbibigay ng pahayag ng sinumang kampo habang hinihintay ang pagtatapos ng imbestigasyon. Maaari raw kasi itong makaapekto sa kaso. Bakit ganito tumakbo ang kasong ito? MISMATCHED Ulat ni Lala Roque Manny Pacquiao, Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, Pancho Villa at Luisito Espinosa, ilan lang sa mga pangalang nagbigay ng karangalan sa bansa sa larangan ng boxing. Mahaba man ang listahan ng mga boksingerong Pinoy na nagtamo ng tagumpay, ilang pangalan din ang naitalang tila nagpapatotoo kung gaano kadelikado ang sport na ito. Sino ang makalilimot sa kaso ng boksingerong si Eugene Barutag na namatay sa loob ng ring habang lumalaban sa Thailand noong 1995? Sinundan pa ito ni Lito Sisnorio na bangkay na ring umuwi ng bansa noong 2007. Ang iba naman, kung hindi man kamatayan, panghabambuhay na karamdaman ang sinapit. Ayon sa ilang eksperto, sa ilang pagkakataon, mismatched ang mga laban kaya nauuwi sa mapait na kapalaran ang sinasapit ng ilang boksingero. Naghigpit ang Games and Amusements Board sa paglaban ng mga Pilipinong boksingero sa Thailand. Sa kabila nito, patuloy pa rin ang umano'y pagpupuslit ng mga boksingero upang sumabak sa mga hindi ligtas na laban sa Thailand. Paano nakalulusot at bakit nagpapatuloy ang gawaing ito?