Former Most Valuable Player awardee Danny Ildefonso and teammate Mark Pingris of San Miguel have apologized for attacking a fan during an emotional moment following his team’s victory over Ginebra in Game 2 of their finals series at the Araneta Coilseum.

Ildefonso and Pingris’ act was caught on national television and by thousands of spectators and their action drew a fine and suspension from the PBA.

The incident was the second involving players in the current conference.

During the semifinals, some officials and players of Sta. Lucia confronted a fan who they claimed made disparaging remarks against Realtor center Marlou Aquino.

“Gusto ko maging role model sa mga anak ko. Pero yung nangyari last week maling-mali. Hindi ko dapat ginawa yun,” admitted Ildefonso.

His outburst brought back memories of a similar incident four years ago in which Ildefonso manhandled another fan late in the fourth quarter of the deciding Game 5 of the 2005 Philippine Cup semifinals also between SMB and eventual champion Ginebra.

Fined and suspended for one game for both offenses, Ildefonso said he realized the gravity of his conduct and hopes he would be forgiven by their fans and the PBA diehards in general.

The aggrieved fan in the recent incident has obliged.

Ferdinand Nervandez, the mauling victim, said he sought PBA officials upon learning that the two SMB players had wanted to see him to personally apologize.

“What he did was kind of a noble act,’’ said Barrios of Nervandez’s gesture. “Hindi madali yung ginawa niya. But he felt he had also wronged Danny I and wanted to apologize.”

The meeting was arranged and the fan and the two players met at a coffee shop at the Gateway Mall just across the Araneta Coliseum.

Barrios said Ildefonso, Pingris and Nervandez were apologetic about the incident and promised each other what they did would never happen again.