Forthsky Padrigao is leaving Ateneo de Manila University.
The Blue Eagle announced his decision to leave Ateneo on Monday night, admitting that the past months have been ‘very difficult’ for him.
“After everything that has happened, I feel that I can’t go back anymore, and I have to say farewell,” Padrigao wrote in his statement on Instagram.
The Ateneo guard admitted making mistakes even way back during his high school years, but apologized to those who have been hurt by his actions.
“Over the course of my stay in Ateneo, I made both right and wrong decisions. The past several months have been very difficult, and I fully acknowledge that this is because of mistakes that I made before when I was still in high school, which haunt me to the day. I want to express my deepest apologies because, even if I never intended to and I never physically hurt anyone, have come to realize the gravity of my irresponsible words and actions and the pain they caused others,” he added.
Padrigao, a member of the mythical team for UAAP Season 85, opened up about having a hard time in attending his classes and representing the Blue Eagles because of stories, which he described as malicious.
“However, the past months have made this extremely difficult. I’ve kept my silence because my team needed to focus on the games, but I can’t understand how malicious the stories have become since we won, and now I have to answer even for errors I didn’t commit,” Padrigao wrote.
“That’s why attending classes has been getting harder and harder for me, and now even if I want to represent my university as an athlete, I can’t anymore,” adding that even her mother has been affected with what has been happening to him.
Padrigao also thanked those who have been a part of his journey in Katipunan.
“I had the greatest chance to be a basketball champion here; I am learning now it takes much more to win at living.”
The Ateneo guard also said what his next steps will be, but “I am making this decision because I want to take responsibility for my past and for my future.”
“I hope those I’ve hurt will heal. I hope somehow in this journey I’ll make my parents proud again,” added Padrigao.
“If I were given the ultimate kindness of a second chance, I know I will have to work harder than any basketball training I’ve undergone before. But I will be better. Let me be better.”
Ateneo on July 22 announced that Padrigao will be missing UAAP Season 86 as he did not meet some of his academic requirements.
—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA Integrated News
