Seigle, pals tagged in mauling incident

Philippine team member Andy Seigle and his five companions are in the police hunt list for allegedly mauling two night club bouncers in Makati before dawn yesterday.

Seigle could be barred from leaving the country to compete in this month’s Busan Asian Games if a criminal case is filed against him in court.

Police records showed Seigle, also a member of the Talk N Text team in the PBA, allegedly led the mauling of two bouncers at Club V along Amorsolo street in San Lorenzo Village, Makati.

Police said Seigle apparently had one drink too many with his five unidentified companions Saturday night. At the height of their drinking, in the early hours of Sunday, he allegedly became unruly, bothering women guests on the club’s dance floor.

This prompted the club’s three bouncers – Lito Moreno, Benilito Benitez and Miguel Honor – to intervene. However, one of Seigle’s companions allegedly became irritated and dared Moreno to a fist fight.

The club waiters took Moreno out of the bar to prevent a brawl. Seigle’s group followed, but they returned to Club V when they saw Moreno enter a nearby coffee shop.

Moreno told the police that he was shocked to find out several minutes later that Seigle and his companion had started mauling the two bouncers inside Club V.

Benitez sustained bruises and cuts in the body while Honor sustained a swollen right arm after one of Seigle’s companions allegedly threw him on top of a table.

The two bouncers said they tried to defend themselves but Seigle, 6-10, was simply too big for them. They are set to file charges of physical injuries against Seigle and his group today.

Makati policeman Juancho Ibis, who is handling the case, said Seigle and his group fled after the incident.

RP team head coach Jong Uichico told The STAR yesterday he would check the matter himself. He said the PBA commissioner’s office will also provide assistance for the 30-year-old Seigle, who played earlier in the day in the RP team’s tune-up match with Spring Cooking Oil.

Eric Altamirano, assistant RP team coach, also denied Seigle, the 1997 PBA rookie of the year, had a hand in the incident.

He said the club owner called him up yesterday afternoon after the STAR interview to say that Seigle’s friend – and not Seigle – was involved in the brawl. Seigle, he said, only stepped in to pacify his friend and Moreno.

"I didn’t do anything. I just pacified them," Seigle was quoted by Altamirano as saying.