MANILA, Philippines — The priest who served as master of ceremonies after the Papal Mass, which drew record crowds at Rizal Park last Sunday, apologized for supposedly ruining the solemnity of the affair.
Father Hans Magdurulang, who serves in Makati City, admitted that he may have committed a mistake for cheering and leading the chants loudly over the microphone after Pope Francis celebrated Mass and was leaving the grounds riding the Popemobile.
He said he discovered that he is being "bashed" on social media following the event for his repeated off-beat chants, for which he is heartily sorry.
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"Ang sabi po nila, ang nabasa ko po sa Twitter ay hindi daw po ako bagay sa page-emcee, masyado daw po akong maingay, sinira ko daw po yung solemnity nung Misa, parang ginawa kong show ... noontime show," he said in a dzMM interview on Tuesday.
"Kung may mga natuwa po sa Luneta, marami pong salamat. Pero kung may mga nadismaya po dahil sakin, ako po'y taus-pusong humihingi ng patawad po kung nasira ko po yung pagdiriwang po," the priest added.
A Twitter account with the handle @LunetaEmcee now followed by almost a thousand users was even made apparently to criticize Magdurulang.
WAVE PO TAYO! WAAAAAAAAAVVVVEEEE! #PapalVisitPH
— Luneta Emcee (@LunetaEmcee) January 18, 2015 Magdurulang said that since he does not have a Twitter account, he did not experience being criticized on social networks before, but he bears no grudge against those who hit him hard.
"Honestly po, napaisip ako, sabi ko, mukhang mali po 'ata yung nagawa ko. Baka may mali po akong nagawa, nasira ko po yung event. Tinanong ko po talaga yung sarili ko," he said.
"Pero sa ngayon po, to be honest po, hindi po ako nagalit sa kanila. Napagnilay-nilay ko po yung magandang natutunan ko po sa first time ko po mag-bash. Wala po akong Twitter, ganito pala ma-bash," Magdurulang explained.
The priest explained, however, that he tried his best to follow instructions given to him by organizers who feared stampedes may occur.
"Nakiusap po yung committee na pakalmahin ko yung mga tao kasi po naga-away-away na sila sa Orosa. Medyo nahirapan po yung communication, wala pong makapunta doon." - Camille Diola