MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs pledged on Tuesday to look into the death of former Filipino World Boxing Council youth flyweight titleholder Angelito “Lito” Sisnorio Jr., in Thailand, as his family demanded that those responsible be put in jail.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has authorized a team of officials to fly to Bangkok on Wednesday or Thursday to bring back the remains of Angelito Sisnorio Jr., the Filipino fighter who died following a fourth-round knockout by veteran Chatchai Sasakul.
The Department of Foreign Affairs will look into the case of Sisnorio, a former World Boxing Council youth flyweight titleholder, who died of bleeding in the brain in Thailand Saturday after he was knocked out by Sasakul.
In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, DFA spokesman Claro Cristobal said the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok had been instructed to assist the family of Sisnorio in bringing his remains to the Philippines.
“The DFA assures the family of the boxer that the Philippine embassy in Bangkok will give the assistance needed for the repatriation of the remains of Sisnorio. We will also look into this case,” Cristobal said.
A diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity admitted that the DFA was not aware of what happened to Sisnorio until it was reported in the newspaper.
Reports said that Sisnorio did not secure permission from the Games and Amusement Board before going to Thailand.
On the reported “guerilla-type” or underground boxing operations in Thailand which had been luring local boxers here, the diplomat said the DFA did not monitor departing passengers and their itineraries.
He said there was no way for the DFA to stop this kind of operation in Thailand because the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, and other embassies for that matter, had no police power.
“We can only make representation with the government of the host country. But we have no control over the departure of our boxers for other countries. It should be the lookout of the sports agencies involved in the match, their managers and their promoters, the diplomat added.
