Padrigao departs Blue Eagles nest

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo’s Forthsky Padrigao has decided to leave the Blue Eagles for good.

This comes as the point guard is set to sit out UAAP Season 86 due to academic difficulties.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Padrigao bid farewell to the Ateneo community.

“My schedule for enrollment in Ateneo is coming up, but for the first time after six years of considering this school my home, I am struggling very hard to do it,” he said.

“After everything that has happened, I feel that I can't go back anymore, and I have to say farewell,” he added.

The floor general’s name has been linked to various controversies in the past year, including allegations of abuse against women.

This has been reportedly cited as the reason Padrigao was booed during when he was presented with an award for being Mythical Five member last UAAP season.

Without going into specifics, Padrigao, who also played for the Blue Eaglets in high school, said that during his stay in Ateneo, he 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,” he said.

“I want to express my deepest apologies because, even if I never intended to and I never physically hurt anyone, I have come to realize the gravity of my irresponsible words and actions and the pain they caused others,” he added.

Padrigao bared that his mother went back to Zambonga because of the pressure.

He admitted that he is leaving the Ateneo to take responsibility, to redeem himself.

“I hope those I've hurt will heal. I hope somehow in this journey I'll make my parents proud again,” he said.

“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,” Padrigao continued.

Padrigao led the Blue Eagles to the championship last season over the UP Fighting Maroons, and he was the runner-up in the MVP race.