By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Midfielder Marwin Angeles has parted ways with Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo after five seasons after landing an opportunity to play for an Indonesia-based football club.

In an announcement by Kaya-Iloilo on its website, it said that the Filipino-born/Italian-raised Angeles will next play for the Persik Kediri team in an Indonesian league.

Angeles, who arrived in Kaya-Iloilo last 2017, has been an invaluable member to the team these past five years, and helped bring the club Copa Paulino Alcantara Championships in 2018 and 2021.

“We’re very grateful for Marwin’s time with the club. He took a chance making a big switch and made some bigger sacrifices, especially in the last year,” Kaya-Iloilo President and GM Paul Tolentino said.

“Maru grew into his vice-captain role at the club, and left after bringing us another championship,” he added. “We’re very grateful and want to wish him the best of luck on his new challenge, of which he’s earned and fully deserves.”

Angeles, who also scored two international goals for Kaya-Iloilo, admitted that it was a painful decision to leave the team but the opportunity to play overseas was just too hard to pass up.

“Farewells are not easy, especially when my time with Kaya has been so valuable. All the knowledge and experience I’ve gained here will follow through to this next chapter of my career,” said Angeles.

“I can’t thank everyone that I was involved with in the last past 5 years enough, with so many beautiful memories that I will keep forever in my heart and mind,” he added. “I’m proud to say we did make some history!”

Meanwhile, the Iloilo City-based football club also announced that Marco Casambre will be loaned to Thailand’s Sukhothai FC in the Thai League 2 season and will be returning to the squad later this year.

“It was a difficult decision since I wanted to help the team in the AFC tournaments and build on our previous performances,” Casambre said. “I am looking forward to rejoining the team for the [PFL Season] and hopefully winning it.”

This isn’t Casambre’s first stint playing for a Thai club, having suited up for Chainat Hornbill in the 2019 season before being recruited to play for Kaya-Iloilo./ASC, WDJ