By Lynde Salgados
Correspondent
“HE will have his day in court.”
Saying this, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno wished former WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight champion Albert Pagara to overcome the “new hurdle” of his life.
Regarded as the “Prince” of Philippine boxing, Pagara was arrested on Wednesday evening in Cebu on child molestation charges.
He allegedly “touched” the private parts of his 14-year-old female neighbor at around 4 pm in Sitio Terra Dulce, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City where he was residing with his live-in partner.
Before his rise to fame, Pagara trained under a local sports program in Cagayan de Oro, specifically the amateur boxing of Misamis Oriental when Moreno was still the provincial governor, along with Tokyo 2020 Olympics silver medalist Carlo Paalam.
The 27-year-old Pagara last fought on December 18, 2020, when he carved out a unanimous decision win over Virgil Puton in Mandaue City.
He lost the WBO title to Mexican fighter Cesar Juarez in 2016 but came back strong with a string of victories until the pandemic knocked out the Ala Promotions.
The once-unbeaten Pagara has a record of 33 wins with 22 knockouts against one defeat.
His older brother Jason is also a professional boxer.
“Maayo kini sila modula labi na si Albert. We don’t know yet, let the law take its natural course. Let the investigation proceed,” Moreno said.
The Pagaras, who traced their roots in Leyte, were once students of Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (Mogchs) in Cagayan de Oro City.
Mogchs teacher and multi-titled Palarong Pambansa team coach Wenchito Teopiz recalled the days when he would show the Pagara siblings some tricks of boxing in the school gym.
“The Pagaras were good boys then and very obedient to their school mentors at Mogchs,” said Teopiz.
