We finally hear the side of La Salle head coach Topex Robinson following the recent controversy involving him and UP Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres.
La Salle head coach Topex Robinson finally broke his silence following the “spitgate” controversy involving him and UP’s Reyland Torres, calling for a stop toward unproven accusations hurled at him following the issue.
Robinson aired his side through an emotional statement, calling out social media pages who sensationalized the issue, and bashers who took unproven accusations as gospel truth.
“‘Yung huhusgahan niyo po ako nang hindi niyo muna po nakuha yung totoong storya, syempre po masakit din para sakin. But nakikiusap lang po ako sana na huwag na po tayong maglabas or magbatuhan ng accusation because we are playing this game of basketball and we just want to enjoy it,” Robinson said after La Salle’s 77-68 win over the UE Red Warriors on Saturday.
Still, the champion mentor acknowledged media outlets who observed due diligence in their reporting, alongside the support he’s received within the La Salle community.
“But I also want to thank my real friends in the media that respected my space, respected my silence and didn’t come out with any story that’s not one-sided. I know who you are and I’ll be forever grateful for you guys,” he said.
“And I’m just so fortunate that I have my Lasallian family. The team, the management and all the people that came up to me and tried to support me because tao rin po ako, ‘yung huhusgahan niyo po ako nang hindi niyo muna po nakuha yung totoong storya, syempre po masakit din para sakin.”
To recall, Robinson was on the receiving end of Torres’ accusations, who claimed that the champion coach spat on him midway through the third quarter of their tense match last October 6. While Robinson denied Torres’ claims, UP nonetheless filed a complaint to the UAAP Ethics Committee, leading to an investigation to determine the league’s next course of action.
After a “thorough investigation”, the UAAP decided to issue “stern warnings” to both Robinson and Torres, which was officially relayed hours before La Salle faced the Red Warriors.
In their statement, the UAAP explained: “The investigation has revealed that both individuals displayed behaviors that do not reflect the values of sportsmanship upheld by the UAAP and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).”
“Specifically, it was found that Mr. Torres passed in very close proximity to Coach Robinson twice. Coach Robinson, in turn, responded with language unbecoming of a coach,” part of the statement read.
Topex Robinson also addressed a certain “Mrs. Villanueva”, who openly admitted hounding him post-game against UP following Torres’ accusations.
“Pati po sana yung sumigaw sakin doon sa MOA, Mrs. Villanueva, ‘yung pinahiya niyo po ako sa harap ng pamilya ko, sa harap ng tao na inakusahan niyo po ako. Kaya ko po kayo hindi masagot dahil hindi po talaga akong gumawa noon. But sana po pag nagkita tayo meron din po kayo sanang ang lakas ng loob na magsabi sakin na mali po yung inakusahan niyo sakin,” he said.
On top of this, the champion coach cried foul against those who called him “squatter”, or a Tagalog slang for informal settlers. In a Philippine Star column by Quinito Henson, UP coaches supposedly shouted the term toward Robinson after Torres told them about the supposed spitting.
“Ang tanong ko lang po, kapag po ba squatter, masamang tao?” Robinson said. “Kasi po tinawag po akong squatter eh so hindi ko po alam kung saan nangagaling ‘yun. Pero pag squatter po ba masamang tao na yun? ‘Di ba po ang squatter hindi naman po nila ginusto maghirap sila pero nagsikap sila.”
“Nag-aral sila, nakakuha sila ng scholarship at ngayon nagkaroon sila ng maayos na buhay at ginamit nila yung kahirapan nila para maging maayos yung buhay nila para sa pamilya nila. Hindi ko po alam kung bakit po ang squatter eh sinasabihan ng masama, ‘yun po yung hindi ko lang alam,” he said.
‘Sana maging lesson ito’
But Robinson also called for empathy towards Torres, knowing how difficult it is to deal with the negativity caused by the whole issue.
“Sana po huwag din po natin akusahan ‘yung bata dahil hindi niya po kakayanin yung pinagdaanan ko, sana po bigyan po rin natin siya ng pangunawa sa mga nagawa niya dahil alam ko po gaano kahirap yun. Muli po humihingi po ko ng paumanhin sa bata dahil po sa nagawa kong pagsigaw sa kanya,” the coach said.
To finish his statement, Robinson reiterated the consequences of throwing baseless accusations, hoping that this serves as a lesson as everyone involved moves forward from the controversy.
“Sana po maging lesson po sana ito sa lahat na kung wala po kayo sanang sure na proof, huwag po kayong mag-akusa kasi napakasakit po, iningatan ko po yung pangalan ko ng napakatagal. Kung nasaan po man ako ngayon, wala po akong dinayang tao. Nanalo po ako ng mga games dahil po ginawa ko yung tama,” Robinson said.
“So para po akusahan nyo ako ng masamang tao…pero pinapatawad ko po kayo dahil I will always live by what we always pray at La Salle: I will continue to do all my actions for the love of you. Amen. Thank you po.”
It remains to be seen how this issue will permanently conclude as Season 87 continues. But as we move forward, may this be a reminder to the UAAP’s coaches and players to do better in upholding good conduct on the basketball court.
And as Topex Robinson says, may this be a lesson against making baseless claims, especially for public figures like him and Torres whose voices can easily sway the public into their favor.
Banner image courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.