Reyland Torres speaks out after UP-La Salle incident

University of the Philippines player Reyland Torres broke his silence on Sunday after the incident involving him and De La Salle University head coach Topex Robinson during the two teams' match last October 6.

The UAAP on Saturday decided to issue "stern warnings" to both Torres and Robinson after their investigation of the incident.

"Nag-focus lang ako sa team. Isinantabi ko muna 'yun kasi mas mahalaga 'yung team namin. Mas mahalaga bawat isa sa amin. Tapos na po 'yun," Torres said on Sunday on the heels of UP's 83-73 victory against University of Santo Tomas.

"May goal kami as a team, doon na lang kami mag-focus."

[I just focused on the team. I set that aside because our team is more important. Each of us is more important. That's in the past... We have a goal as a team, that's where we put our focus.]

UP’s Reyland Torres speaks out after the UP-La Salle incident last week @gmasportsph pic.twitter.com/TqxcYY7NvS

— JK Carandang (@jk_carandang) October 13, 2024

Torres said he also accepts the UAAP decision and wants to move forward from it.

"Siguro ano naman, okay naman sa akin. Sa akin lang, siguro pinag-isipan din yun, naging patas din sila," he said. "Kung anuman pinagdesisyunan nila, thankful din ako dun. Ipagpasa-Diyos na lang natin lahat."

[I guess it's okay with me. For me, I think they put thought into it, and they were fair. Whatever their decision is, I'm thankful for it. I will just leave it up to God.]

UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde also said the team will respect the league's decision.

"The UAAP made the decision and we would abide by it. On our part, di naman yun basta decision nila," Monteverde said in a press conference.

"We would respect that. Nangyari ang nangyari. At the end of the day, I'm very confident that the UAAP would be very strict on -- wala nang mangyayaring incident ng pandudura or ganung bagay sa game."

"For me, what's important is 'yung well-being ng players, si Reyland, lahat."

[The UAAP made the decision and we would abide by it. On our part, they wouldn't just come up with a hast decision... We would respect that. What happened happened. At the end of the day, I'm very confident that the UAAP would be very strict on — there would be no more incidents of spitting or anything like that in the game... For me, what's important is the well-being of the players, Reyland and all.]

On Saturday, Robinson thanked those who supported him in the ordeal and also appealed to stop the accusations since a decision has been made.

In the statement by the UAAP, they said that "allegations that Mr. Torres used profane language and that Coach Robinson spat at Mr. Torres could not be conclusively proven based on testimonies and available evidence during the investigation."

—JMB, GMA Integrated News