Ateneo apologizes over bonfire incident – Inquirer

Haha! ganun ba kagrabe ang lahat! Nasa Inquirer!Nakakahiya! - That’s all I can say.

Ateneo apologizes over bonfire incident

By Jasmine W. Payo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:05:00 10/06/2008

MANILA, Philippines—A recent Ateneo bonfire celebration has added fuel to the varsity animosity between the Blue Eagles and the De La Salle University Green Archers, prompting an apology from top officials of the Loyola-based school.

Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ, recently apologized to the La Sallian community for an irreverent incident during the bonfire on the Ateneo campus last Sept. 30 to celebrate the UAAP championship won by the Eagles at the expense of the Archers.
Some of the firewood used at the bonfire had the names of the entire La Salle roster bannered by JV Casio, Rico Maierhofer and coach Franz Pumaren.

“Despite our rivalries in sports, we are both committed to Christian values and what was done is certainly a violation of values we share,” Nebres said in a letter to De La Salle University System president Br. Armin Luistro, FSC, dated Oct. 2.

As reports and photos of the incident circulated in blogs and online basketball forums, students and alumni from La Salle, and even Ateneo, branded the act distasteful regardless of the rivalry between the two elite squads.

Nebres said none of the school officials “saw it ahead of time, because the wood pile was covered by a tarp against the rain until the time came to light it.”

An alumnus already claimed responsibility for “producing the materials” and apologized to Nebres for “the backlash it created.”

“Our community accepted [Ateneo's apology],” Br. Bernie Oca, FSC, La Salle’s representative to the UAAP board, said Sunday. “We are also awaiting the results of their investigations which they said they will do.”

Source:

http://sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20081006-164767/Ateneo-apologizes-over-bonfire-incident

It was because of AN Atenean

The person behind the Ateneo bonfire incident already confessed and admitted his fault. He is Jesse Paredes, an Ateneo alumnus and former Standard Today columnist. He is also the  brother of musician Jim Paredes. Huh. What can I say, he is a respectable personality indeed, but his act didn’t show it.  (pertaining “only” to that incident)

Here is his apology letter addressed to Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, President of ADMU.

3 October 2008

Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ
President
Ateneo de Manila University

Dear Fr. Nebres,

I write this letter for two reasons. The first one is to own up to producing the materials with the names of the Green Archers and placing them prominently in the woodpile before the bonfire for all to see.

Secondly, I sincerely apologize to you for the queasy situation you are in as a result of the backlash it created.

While the nature of this letter is a personal apology to you, please feel free to extend it to parties you may deem fit to receive it.

Sincerely,

Jesse Paredes
HS’54, AB’58

Honestly, the apology is all we need. Admitting his fault just proves he’s being an Atenean. I hope this would settle all the issues. Peace. Go Ateneo! Animo La Salle!