ON FRIDAY, September 30, 2016, University President Jett Villarin, SJ invited all those watching the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball game between Ateneo and De La Salle University (DLSU) on Sunday to wear black clothing or accessories. This was to show solidarity with the victims of human rights violations, as well as to oppose the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani and the growing number of extrajudicial killings across the nation.

As the grueling battle between long-time archrivals commenced, the Mall of Asia Arena appeared to be a sea of blue, green, and black. Most of the members of the Ateneo community heeded the call by wearing black shirts and accessories, as they firmly supported the cause against the different moral issues within our country. However, there were a few who opposed this, believing that the university was bringing Philippine politics into the realm of collegiate sports.

Despite many critics believing that this was partisan initiative by the Ateneo, Villarin clarifies that this symbolic gesture is a matter of taking a moral stand on the human rights issues teeming in our country. “Here, we are doing this as a gesture of concern for the culture of violence that we are seeing,” said Villarin.

Villarin further elaborates that this gesture is also being done for the youth, to create awareness that the traumatic events happening in our country are creating moral issues. “As I said to the others, [I am] concerned about the impact on this on the young people, the sense of right and wrong, and this is something that we have to make a stand on,” he said.

This decision to invite both communities to this gesture had been made long before the match through a suggestion in the meetings of the Ateneo administration. Villarin extended the invitation to the DLSU’s University President Br. Raymundo Suplido, who agreed to the unifying action. Villarin has also been talking to other UAAP schools regarding this matter and the schools are also open to extend the invitation to the entire UAAP community.

“[I have] been talking to other FEU and some of them are open to it to not being an Ateneo-DLSU thing only, but for the entire UAAP,” added Villarin.

University Athletics Office Director and Ateneo UAAP board member Emmanuel Fernandez further clarifies Villarin’s stand that the gesture was not a requirement by the university, but it was a personal invitation to take part in the cause if one believes in it.

“You [do not] need to ask UAAP ‘can we do this?’ because it’s not part of the agenda or program,” said Fernandez. “It was just said that if you’re watching the game, you’re believing in this point of view, please show your support. Wear black or put on something black.”

Atenean undergraduates who attended the game also responded to the call of the university, as they personally felt that the cause was relevant. Management senior Paolo Resurrecion firmly believes that this was stand on morality and not that of politics.

“For me, it’s not about politics or pointing fingers at anyone, it’s more of me showing unity with the different issues in our country right now, such as extrajudicial killings,” says Resurreccion. “It’s about basic human values.”

Management Engineering senior Lexie Eala also shares the same sentiments as Resurreccion and believes that this was good opportunity to show support for the human rights victims.

“I think it’s a pretty strong issue these days and I want to [take] a stand against it,” said Eala. “It’s a good a way of showing your support to the cause, even if it’s something menial.”

Editor’s note: The people who claimed to not support the cause refused to be interviewed by The GUIDON due to personal reasons.