What the rav owes my friend is not my cheshbon. The fact that he was willing to extend a message of regret (which would require an acknowledgement of wrongdoing) would impress my friend.
Why do I care about impressing my friend? I am always wanting to lessen someones negativity toward another person when possible. This would lessen his negativity, but possibly not by enough to warrant the LH that could come out of it.