PapaBear's Gambit
By Alex P. Vidal
SURREY, British Columbia -- What raffle draw grand prize winner Jerry "PapaBear" Legaspi did before the year 2011 ended was unprecedented: he offered as "gift" to the son of the "real" winner the stand up electric scooter, the grand prize in the December 26 Christmas raffle sponsored by the Reyfort Media Group at the media outfit's studio here.
Legaspi turned over the scooter, worth $1,895, to Nemecio Cepeda Sr., father of his beneficiary, Nhemy "JJ" Jr., five days after the raffle draw or a day before New Year.
"Me and Pangga (Annjanette Camacho, Legaspi's wife) have decided to relinquish it in favor of JJ because we love JJ and the scooter is too small for me," said Legaspi, who weighs around 200 lbs. "And besides, we want to preserve harmony and peace."
CONTROVERSY
The scooter was the center of controversy immediately after the raffle draw when Cepeda Sr. claimed he was the rightful winner.
Multicultural Housing Help Society (MHHS) president Tomas "Tatay Tom" Avendano picked Cepeda Sr.'s name during the grand prize draw but the winner was not around to personally receive the scooter.
Cepeda Sr. missed the draw by the skin of the teeth when he left as soon as the raffle for grand prize was starting. He had informed raffle organizers he was having a chest pain and asked them give his prize to a proxy in the event his name would be picked as winner in the raffle.
RECEIVE
Avendano and his assistant, Winnie "Jojo" Alpuerto, called Cepeda Sr.'s name several times and asked him to personally receive the prize but he failed to show up. This prompted organizers to forfeit the prize and raffle it off. This time, the new winner Legaspi, who had earlier won a Blue Ray player in a draw for consolation prizes, was present.
He received the scooter.
When informed the following day, Cepeda Sr. raged. "I am the rightful winner," he rued. "I asked permission to leave because I had a chest pain. It was not 'PapaBear's' fault."
Organizers explained they had set rules that only winners present would receive their prizes.
"No problem," Legaspi intoned. "I will offer the scooter as gift to JJ to settle the matter."
"No, that's yours," retorted Cepeda Sr. "It's not your fault."
HOUSE
"It's not anymore the question of who is at fault here. Just come to my house (in Guildford) and get the scooter," Legaspi shot back.
Before New Year, Cepeda went home riding in the scooter smiling.
"JJ anak (my son), the scooter is here given by 'PapeBear.' You can now use this when you go to school," Cepeda told JJ.
"Thank you papa. Thank you 'PapaBear," quipped the 12-year-old JJ.
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