Forum:Banisher of the radiance ruling

ok, so my friend and i are having a dispute about banisher of the radiance. he says that because BOTR uses the word sent instead of destroyed, any card destroyed isnt removed from play. but i use the other ruling of the card that focuses on "sent to the graveyard", where i attack a sangan equipped with axe of despair, they are removed from play because normally they would just go to the graveyard. he says no because its destroyed, not sent so they go to the graveyard and sangans and axe of despairs effect can still activate. clarification please?