MANILA, 20 September — Busan Asian Games-bound Andy Seigle flirted with disaster when he allegedly figured in a mauling incident that took place inside a music club in Makati recently.
But the prized 6-foot-9 Fil-Am slotman of the Philippine team was personally cleared by the owner of a Makati nightspot.
PBA acting commissioner Sonny Barrios said he was convinced Seigle, elder brother of Danny Seigle— who was also part of coach Jong Uichico’s national team to the coming regional meet — was innocent of allegation Seigle and five others beat up two security officers.
According to Barrios, Cluvb V owner Philip Chua assured him that a fight really ensued in the establishment, but "Seigle was involved not as an aggressor but a pacifier."
The PBA Commissioner’s Office also received separate letters from Cluvb V bar manager Richard Salaya and marketing and Public Relations manager Jodge Ledesma clearing Seigle of any wrongdoing.
"Some newspapers got inconsistent information that Andy Seigle beat up two of our bouncers. As per my knowledge, Andy Seigle did not hit, maul or punch any of our bouncers in the club that night," said Salaya.
Ledesma, meanwhile, reiterated what he had told an ABS-CBN early morning program that "Seigle never engaged himself in the fight with the club’s bouncers much less hurt anyone at all. If it wasn’t even for Andy pacifying and controlling his friends, the row would have gone on longer."
"In my opinion, there is no case against Andy Seigle. Whatever the other party’s reasons for filing a complaint causing the outbreak of so much media hype and bad publicity is beyond my recognition," said Ledesma.
According to Barrios, the Cluvb V management had fired bouncers Benilito Benitez and Miguel Honor for making tall tales probably in an effort to squeeze money from Seigle.
Ealier reports said Benitez and Onor claimed they were mauled by Seigle and company after an argument over the group’s behavior that alarmed other customers.
"He (Chua) was apologetic (about the trouble his people brought to Seigle) and very concerned his place may be painted as a trouble spot," said Barrios. Barrios said he knew Chua personally since the young businessman had at one time offered a business tie-up with the league and suggested putting up a bar called "PBA Cafe."
Earlier, the Makati police was set to file charges of two counts of physical injuries against Seigle and five of his companions in connection with the mauling claims.
SPO 4 Leonardo Timtiman, chief of the Makati police’s homicide division, said they were only waiting for additional documents from complainants Benitez, 26, and Honor, 37, before elevating the case to the Makati Prosecutors’ Office.
According to the police report, Benitez and Honor had already submitted medical certificates to prove that they were mauled by Seigle’s group in an altercation at Club V, a bar located along Amorsolo St. in barangay San Lorenzo where the complainants work as bouncers. Upon learning of the police report, Seigle immediately showed up at the Makati police station to shed light on the incident.
The cager loaned by the Philippine team from Purefoods also skipped the Nationals’ practice at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center inside the Ateneo campus to attend to the problem brought by that mauling allegations, although he sought prior permission from Uichico.
Quizzed by Uichico on the controversy, Seigle, a six-year PBA veteran who also played for the Asiad team that took bronze in 1998, claimed he was not directly involved in the incident and merely acted as a pacifier during the scuffle. Seigle said he was with his girlfriend, younger brother and some friends, and it was one of his friends that was directly involved in the fight.
"I’m not saying Andy is not guilty; all I’m saying is what Andy told me," Uichico said. "But this is not the first time he got involved in such incidents so I told him to be careful in the future."
Before that latest incident, Seigle was accused of punching a man after a traffic accident some years back and was in a group of Fil-foreign players that, according to reports, caused a commotion in a townhouse unit belonging to Eric Menk’s girlfriend.
According to PO2 Juancho Ibis, case investigator, Seigle, reportedly a regular in the club, maltreated a woman guest and got irked when the bouncers stepped in to intervene.
The complainants, police said, claimed Seigle threw a punch during the scuffle.
Other newspaper reports said Seigle and his five companions arrived at the club shortly after 2 a.m. An hour later, Seigle and company reportedly began shouting and cursing, prompting the two bouncers to approach them and ask them to calm down so as not to alarm the other customers.
The basketball player allegedly pushed them away and told them to mind their own business.
Undeterred, the two men tried to ‘escort’ Seigle from the club but ended up being involved with the player and his companions in a scuffle. Cooler heads eventually prevailed and the player’s group left in a hurry.
Benitez and Honor were taken to the Ospital ng Makati where they were found to have sustained multiple bone fractures in the hands and arms.
