MANILA, Philippines – Let Angel Canino heal in peace.
That is the wish of the UAAP MVP’s mother Sol after her daughter sat out La Salle’s first game back from the Holy Week break due to a freak accident that caused a right arm gash.
Despite news outlets and the Lady Spikers team itself revealing what they can about the non-volleyball-related injury last Thursday, April 4, conspiracies and accusations still ran rampant online, to the point where the Canino matriarch was forced to go on record to defend her daughter’s side.
In an emotional Facebook post, Sol ruled out multiple speculations in one fell swoop: Her daughter is not faking her injury, not pregnant, not going through academic woes, nor is she leaving La Salle to presumably join the PVL, where her father Rodel is an Akari assistant coach.
Asked earlier for comment, Rodel likewise assured fans his daughter “is doing fine,” which Angel quickly proved by being a positive bench presence in the Lady Spikers’ eventual four-set win over UP.
“She’ll bounce back. She’s not going anywhere,” Sol wrote. “She’s hurt and she will recover. As a mom, I pray that we must be responsible of what we post and comment because somewhere along the way, there are people who get hurt.”
It is an awful situation altogether for the Canino family, who went from reflecting the Holy Week together to suddenly being cast in a searing hot spotlight, all while Angel is rendered unplayable in the middle of the Lady Spikers’ title defense against legitimate contenders.
While the MVP – arm sling and all – continues to ramp up her recovery, her teammates like Maicah Larroza, Baby Jyne Soreño, and Shevana Laput have all taken on bigger roles to cover for her absence, with fair results to show for it.
Angel herself, with guidance from head coach Ramil de Jesus, has respectfully declined interviews since her return from the harrowing accident.
With a handful of games left in the elimination round, La Salle and the Canino family could certainly appreciate fewer problems that the ones they already have on their plates.
“I still believe in kindness, so please just please be kind,” Sol concluded. – Rappler.com