The high and the mighty, as well as the common folk whose lives he touched, attended the wake of the late sportsman Rudy Salud Tuesday at the Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish along Katipunan Road in Quezon City.
Among those who paid their last respects were Vice President Jejomar Binay, former Senator Nikki Coseteng and congressmen Henry Cojuangco and Robbie Puno.
The PBA family was in full force led by Alaska owner Wilfred Uytengsu, Raymund Yu of Rain or Shine, Talk ’N Text’s Ricky Vargas, Smart Sports’ Pato Gregorio, Purefoods’ Butch Alejo, Meralco’s Ramon Siguesmundo, SMB’s Robert Non and PBA chairman Rene Pardo.
Also present were former PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios, sportsman Putch Puyat and former world boxing champion Gerry Peñalosa, whose career was briefly handled by the late lawyer-sportsman.
“Hindi lang sa boxing ako humihingi ng advice kay Atty. Salud before, sa lahat na siguro. Lalo nung magkaroon ako ng pamilya,” Peñalosa said. “Naging parang tatay ko na kasi s’ya e, buong pamilya ko naging close sa pamilya n’ya.”
Salud managed and promoted the fights of Peñalosa from 1998 to 2002.
Although their partnership failed to produce a world title, Peñalosa said his association with Salud was one of his treasured moments.
When he returned from retirement in 2004, Peñalosa said he first sought Salud’s blessings.
“Noong nag-paalam ako sa kanya na babalik ako, ang sabi n’ya sa akin mananalo ako ng world title. Kaya nung nanalo ako, binalikan ko s’ya at nag-pasalamat,” said Peñalosa who won two world titles, the WBF super flyweight crown against Thailand’s Bangsaen Sithpraprom and the WBO bantamweight belt versus Mexico’s Jhonny González.
Salud was the godfather to Peñalosa’s son Julio Cesar.
Salud, who served the PBA in various capacities, passed away last Monday due to complications from heart surgery at the Medical City Hospital in Pasig. He was 72 years old.
Another former boxer handled by Salud was Zeta Celestino Oliveros Gorres, better known as Z Gorres.
“Talagang mabait at maawain. Ilang years din ako naka-tira ako sa bahay nila. Malaking tulong s’ya sa amin. Parang tatay ko na din s’ya. Trinato n’ya ako na parang anak,” said Gorres, still recovering from a head injury in Cebu.
Peñalosa and Gorres both remembered Salud’s advice.
“Kung may iniwan s’ya sa akin or sa mga boxers na na-manage n’ya, ang lagi ko matatandaan ‘yung sinabi n’ya na huwag sirain ang pangalan, ‘yun ang pinaka magandang legacy natin. Pati sa mga anak ko makikinabang,” Peñalosa said.
A mass service is scheduled at 9 a.m. today at the Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish, followed by the cremation rites in Arlington.
source: mb.com.ph
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