ASEANEWS HEADLINE-COURTS & CRIME | MANILA: PNP recommends hazing raps against Baldwin, 10 others
Jonvic Remulla
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CIDG recommends Anti-Hazing raps vs. Tab Baldwin, 10 others over Ateneo players’ deaths
PNP recommends Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin, 10 others to be tried under Anti-Hazing Law over the drowning of Rene Clert Baterbonia, Divine Adili during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora on June 8.
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THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recommended that Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) men’s basketball head coach Tab Baldwin and 10 others be charged for violation of the Anti-Hazing Act.
The charges are in connection with the drowning of team members Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team-building event at a beach resort in Aurora organized and supervised by Baldwin.
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In a press briefing on Friday, Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla revealed the recommendation of the CIDG, which has finished its two-week investigation into the incident.
– Strength and conditioning coaches Grant Dearns and Ceasar Vincent Javellana Elumba.
– Assistant coaches Dean Caesar Castaño, Sandro Nicholas Romero Soriano and Reynaldo Jacinto.
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– Student managers Paolo Manuel Maceda Adevoso and Andrew Lorenzo “Drew” Bondoc Salud.
– Utility personnel Aris Ramos Ponce and Joel “Boy” Palmiano Rapa.
The Department of Justice confirmed that it received on Friday CIDG’s recommendation.
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It said it would determine whether the evidence the CIDG submitted is sufficient for further proceedings.
Former Ateneo players had described the team-building activity as “boot camp” training, but denied that there was any form of hazing.
Remulla noted that the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili fell under the new definition of the 2018 version of Republic Act (RA) 11053, or the Anti-Hazing Law.
Remulla said the original concept of hazing was limited to initiation rites, where physical and violence humiliation was inflicted by fraternities or similar organizations on a recruit, neophyte or applicant.
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Under RA 11053, hazing could now occur during team-building and training activities, where new recruits go through forced calisthenics, exposure to weather, Remulla said.
Department of Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary Brian Mey Tomas said evidence gathered by the CIDG shows that the team-building activity in Aurora was “precisely made to determine which members of that team will make it to the final list submitted by Coach Tab Baldwin to the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) board.”
The fact that 20 athletes were present but only 17 would eventually make the list reinforces that perception, Tomas said.
“In this case, the CIDG found that the water-based activity constitutes hazing because there is a deliberate intent to cause suffering among the players,” Tomas said.
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Remulla reiterated that this precedent is “not [just] about training or hazing. This is also about the rights of the players.”
Remulla also said the government will seek a hold departure order against Baldwin once hazing charges are filed.
He said he had earlier advised Baldwin not to leave the Philippines while the investigation was ongoing.
Remulla said Baldwin assured him he had no intention of leaving the country.
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During the briefing, Remulla also revealed that five players who joined the team-building exercise previously admitted they could not swim. Among them was Adili.
Remulla said the athletes were merely briefed on how to deal with rip currents.
Also on Friday, ADMU President Fr. Roberto Yap appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as part of the agency’s own investigation into the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.
Following his appearance, Yap told reporters Ateneo had stood by the victims’ families from the beginning, offering condolences, apologies and continuing assistance.
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“We have been since day one with the Baterbonia and Adili families. We have condoled with them, we have apologized, we continue to condole with them, we continue to apologize,” Yap said.
“We have offered and have given support and assistance to them and we will continue to do so over several years,” he said.
Yap said he met with Baterbonia’s parents when they arrived in Manila after the tragedy. He said he accompanied them at the funeral home when they first viewed their son’s body, prayed with the family, blessed Baterbonia’s remains, attended the succeeding Mass and later met with them privately.
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In the case of Adili’s family, Yap said the university coordinated closely with the Nigerian athlete’s relatives, since his father was unable to travel to the Philippines because of passport issues.
He said Adili’s uncle traveled to the Philippines to claim the body and that he personally apologized to him while assuring the family of Ateneo’s continued support.
Yap also said Ateneo sent representatives to accompany Baterbonia’s remains during the wake in Davao and his burial in Agusan. He added that a Filipino Jesuit traveled to Nigeria on his behalf to accompany Adili’s family during the athlete’s funeral.
He declined to discuss details of the NBI investigation, saying he wanted to respect the privacy of his conversations with the victims’ families.
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In a statement on Friday, the ADMU acknowledged the CIDG recommendation to press charges against Baldwin.
“We also recognize that other investigations remain ongoing, and we will continue to cooperate fully with all competent authorities as they complete their respective inquiries, while the CIDG’s recommendation will now be reviewed by the Department of Justice, as provided under the law. We are confident that the facts will be fully and fairly evaluated through the proper process,” Ateneo spokesman Fr. RB Hizon said in a statement.
“Throughout this process, Ateneo remains steadfast in its commitment to accountability, student welfare and the highest standards of safety and institutional responsibility. The University will continue to support the families of those involved, care for its students and community, and strengthen the reforms already under way to help ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated,” Hizon said.
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