UP’s CJ Cansino and Francis Lopez apologize for mask grabbing incident of employee in Subic

CJ CANSINO and Francis Lopez apologized for an improper behavior during the recent holiday outing of the University of the Philippines (UP) men’s basketball team that went viral on social media.

In a recent excursion at a carnival in Subic as posted by Mr. Cansino in his Youtube vlog, one member of the Fighting Maroons was seen grabbing the mask of one of the workers during their “horror train” ride.

It was Mr. Lopez, he admitted.

Disappointed fans called out the team and expressed anger on what deemed as unnecessary act of considered role models by young fans and aspiring athletes to an employee who was just doing his role in a fun ride.

Mr. Cansino, as UP team captain, and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez took full accountabilty of the unacceptable gesture.

“…I take full responsibility for what happened,” said Mr. Cansino, who played his final hurrah with UP in a runner-up finish to De La Salle University this season.

Mr. Lopez also apologized for his act and promised to leave no stone unturned to right it and personally apologized to the carnival employee.

“I take full responsibility for what happened. I together with CJ (Cansino) and the team have tried to reach out to the employee to apologize to him in person, but we have yet to track him down,” said Mr. Lopez.

“We will continue to look for him because I want to talk to him and let him know that it was never my intention to hurt anyone.”

Mr. Lopez also thanked the UAAP and UP fans for calling him out and giving him a chance to correct things with a vow to be better from here on.

“Thank you to the UP community for your support and for holding me accountable for my actions. On the court and off it, I promise to do my best not to let you down,” added Mr. Lopez. — John Bryan Ulanday