Statement of the parents of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu

There are three sides to a controversy. Yours, the other fellow's, and the right. We, the parents of the players of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu do not say that we are the right one in this controversy. However in the spirit of fairness, we deem it right to air our side to this controversy.

1. Kintaro Miyagi, the SHS-AdC player and member of the Philippine Little Azkals and U-16 Philippine Team, passed out after he was mauled during the free-for-all. No reporter inquired about the Ateneo player seen lying on the ground in the background of one of the Sun.Star Cebu photos that were posted in the Sun.Star Facebook page. The only account on Miyagi's plight was posted online: http://www.fullpointcebu.com/mother-seeks-justice-for-son-hit-in-brawl/. Miyagi himself  later took a selfie of  himself  with his bruised face and swollen right eye that he shared online through Instagram. The Miyagis are in the process of filing a case against those who mauled Kintaro.

2. Ateneo de Cebu player Jose Mari Kwan, who is only 15 years old and 5 feet tall, was first punched by Alcoy Football Club goalkeeper Rodenel Binolirao Jr., who is reportedly 17 years old and about 5'7" tall, even before the commotion at the other end of the football field started.

When the commotion started, Binolirao rushed to Kwan who was by then some five meters away. He knocked the smaller boy down and choked him with a potentially fatal head lock. Binolirao admitted using a headlock in the Superbalita report of  his visit to Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale. A headlock is a dangerous UFC hold often used by bullies. This was the situation that parents of  both Sacred Heart and Alcoy players saw. At this point, Rico Mongaya rushed to help the smaller boy.

The Kwans have since been profusely thanking Mongaya for saving JM because he was already out of breath when help came. The parents are in the process of filing a case against Binolirao in the interest of  justice and to prevent this bully from harming smaller players in the future.

We, parents of SHS-AdC players, thank Mongaya for his selfless action. In our eyes, he saved JM Kwan.

We understand the negative reactions to the photos published particularly because the whole story has not been told yet. The pictures may speak a thousand words but still these are snapshots of a flow of events that do not really tell what actually happened.

At the time the brawl erupted, Ateneo de Cebu had a very comfortable lead over Alcoy with the score of 5-1. Hence, the Ateneo boys had no reason at all to feel pressured and be hot-tempered. IN fact, it is to the advantage of Ateneo that game should finish smoothly because it was number one in its bracket.

The Ateneo under-18 boys have joined several tournaments both here in Cebu and several places in the country and emerged in many tournaments such as the RIFA Cup, Alaska Cup, Milo National Tournament, and Pinta Flores, just to name a few. In all these tournaments, the Ateneo de Cebu boys never figured in any violent incident such as the one that happened last March 16, 2014 at the Aboitiz football field.

We are appealing to all to take a second look and this time to consider the bigger picture. We hope this controversy will be resolved soonest in the interest of justice and truth.

(Sgd.)