Both former Provincial Administrator Ae Damalerio and Makati-based businessman Willy Ramasola have expressed their serious intent to fight each other in a boxing match initially thought to be a joke by the public but is shaping up to be the biggest sporting event in Bohol since the pandemic started.
The longstanding word war between the two professionals over social media escalated on Saturday last week when Damalerio challenged Ramasola to a fist fight or a refereed boxing match.
While netizens initially poked fun at Damalerio’s challenge and Ramasola’s acceptance of it, both men aired over station DYRD on Monday that they were serious in fighting each other.
“Kung seryosohon gyud ni ni Ae, dili ko mo atras,” said Ramasola.
In a separate interview, Damalerio said all that is left to be done is for them to set a time and date for the bout.
Both men have declared that if the event generates revenues they will donate their share of the proceeds.
Ramasola said the money will be used to help fund his group’s drive against corruption while Damalerio noted that he will donate the amount to the Inyong Alagad Foundation.
However, Ramasola and Damalerio have contrasting expectations for the aftermath of the bout.
Damalerio hoped that the fight would finally settle their difference.
“E-try nato basin para ma-relieve siya og naa man siya bagahi towards nako,” said Damalerio.
Ramasola, on the other hand, vowed to continue his anti-corruption drive against the two previous administrations which Damalerio was a part of.
“Pwede ko nila hilabtan. Pwede ta magsinumbagay, mabun-og atong mga lawas pero ang mga issue. Ang mga anomalya gapabilin gihapon,” said Ramasola.
According to Damalerio, his challenge comes after a series of posts made by Ramasola against him.
“It was several chapters of post niya, I think dihay 12 to 15 posts niya against me. So mura’g accumulated na siya. Daghan ning sinugdanan ani,” said Damalerio.
One of Ramasola’s latest posts showed Damalerio holding out a tennis racket topped with one-thousand peso bills.
“Sa kadugay na nakong duwa ug tennis wala man gyud ko ka patong ug daghang kwarta sa akong tennis racket oy. Bola hinoon. Pero dili kwarta na ga awas awas. Maka sana all nalang ta ani,” Ramasola said in his post.
Following Damalerio’s challenge, Ramasola also posted a screenshot of a text message which accused Damalerio of having amassed ill-gotten wealth.
According to Damalerio, Ramasola should have just filed cases against him if he has evidence against him for alleged anomalous dealings while he was still working for the Capitol.
“Is this something political? Kay og political ni or mahitungod sa governance namo sauna why not address it sa proper forum. They [should] file a case against me kung dunay nakita nila na perceived anomaly during our term. So og naay nakita, you file in court or proper agency, not in social media,” said Damalerio.
Both men have known each other since grade school as batch mates in the same institution.
Their rivalry erupted during the 2019 elections. Damalerio spearheaded former governor Art Yap’s campaign while Ramasola, at a private capacity, heavily supported former Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr.
Ramasola used his personal Facebook account to lambast Yap and those in his team including Damalerio.
Evasco lost to Yap in the gubernatorial race, but Ramasola continued to publicly denounce Yap and his allies. (R. Tutas)