Francis Lopez has issued a heartfelt apology for a regrettable incident that occurred during a team outing to the Fiesta Carnival in Subic on December 13.
The incident, captured on video and shared on social media by team captain CJ Cansino, showed Lopez attempting to pull off the mask of a carnival employee during a horror train ride.
The video quickly went viral, sparking widespread criticism and concern due to the perceived dangerous nature of Lopez’s actions.
In response, the UAAP Season 86 Rookie of the Year took to social media to express his regret and take full responsibility for the incident.
“Inadvertently, I hurt a carnival employee in one of the carnival rides. This thoughtless moment was recorded on video and was later posted on social media, and I take full responsibility for what happened,” said Lopez in his statement.
Lopez also revealed that he, along with Cansino and the team, has been attempting to reach out to the carnival employee to apologize in person, but their efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
He expressed his sincere desire to find the individual and conveyed that it was never his intention to cause harm.
“I am sorry for any harm that I have caused, and I am committed to learning from this experience. I will do my best to be more mindful of my actions in the future,” Lopez continued in his statement, pledging to remember that his actions reflect on the values of his family, team, and the university he represents.
Team captain CJ Cansino also issued an apology, acknowledging his responsibility in the incident.
“Walang rason para manakit ng tao (There is no reason to hurt someone), and very sorry si Francis for what happened,” said Cansino.
He emphasized that they are actively trying to contact the carnival employee to personally apologize.
