The Ateneo de Manila University fan who was seen flipping the dirty finger at the De La Salle University Green Archers during the late stages of Game Two of the UAAP Season 80 Men’s Basketball Finals came out on Thursday evening, penning a letter addressed to both the La Salle and Ateneo communities.
Atty. Chot Kabigting — whom Philippine Star columnist Joaquin Henson identified as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s deputy administrator for administration — sent the letter to La Salle supporter David Dichupa.
“I am the man in the photos from the Ateneo crowd in Game Two of the Finals yesterday,” he confessed.
“The photos have gone viral and I can understand and accept your anger.”
During the game, a bottle and a coin were thrown at the court by some members of the Ateneo faithful. According to the Atenean, he had been agitated by La Salle’s staff, as he was being blamed for throwing the bottle.
“I deeply regret and sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart for my unacceptable behavior and gesture of pointing a dirty finger at some La Salle players and bench. The intensity of the game got into me,” the statement furthered.
“I vehemently reacted when I was being pointed to by some of your coaching staff as the plastic bottle-thrower. Please let it be known though that I did not throw the plastic bottle or any objects at your players or anyone from La Salle.”
The security of the SMART-Araneta Coliseum were not able to catch the fans who threw the foreign objects onto the court. Rules of the venue explicitly state that, “Throwing of any object shall be prohibited. Any person caught doing so will be ejected from the premises.”
Shamed by what had happened, Att. Kabigting shared that he is charging this to experience, realizing that he need to conduct himself as a true Christian gentleman at all times.
“So to you all, may I say that I am very sorry and ask you to accept this apology and forgive me.
“The lesson I have learned from this unfortunate incident will be etched in my soul for life, and I therefore commit to conduct myself as a true Christian gentleman at all times,” he closed.
