MANILA: The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) recommended the filing of charges against former Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball team head coach Thomas Anthony 'Tab' Baldwin (pic) and 10 others for violating Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act.
This is in connection with the drowning of players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a training activity in Dipaculao, Aurora last June 8.
“The PNP CIDG recommends the evaluation, case build-up and preliminary evaluation by the Department of Justice for violation of Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act against respondents who actually planned and participated in the hazing,” Remulla said in a press briefing in Quezon City.
Aside from Baldwin, the 10 other individuals in the PNP-CIDG’s recommendation are as follows:
>Strength and conditioning coach Grant Dearns
>Strength and conditioning coach Ceasar Vicent Javellana Elumba
>Assistant coach Dean Caesar B. Castaño
>Assistant coach Sandro Nicholas Romero Soriano
>Assistant coach Reynaldo Jacinto
>Student manager Paolo Manuel Maceda Adevoso
>Student manager Andrew Lorenzo “Drew” Bondoc Salud
Physical therapist John Eric Quiambao Rueca
>Utility personnel Aris Ramos Pronce
>Utility personnel Joel 'Boy' Palmiano Rapa
According to Remulla, all 11 Ateneo team personnel were present at the Aurora activity.
“They were all on the beach. No one stopped it. No one questioned it. No one pointed out that it was dangerous,” said Remulla.
Remulla explained that the CIDG’s recommendation specifically cited the definition of hazing in RA No. 11053, which included “forced calisthenics and exposure to the weather.”
“Our past concept of hazing was limited to just initiations. But, here, the team-building and training activity crossed over into hazing, Remulla pointed out.
Also at the briefing, DILG legal and legislative affairs chief Brian Tomas detailed that all the players at the Aurora activity woke up at 4am on June 8 and were instructed to run for four kilometres.
“This was subsequently followed by intense physical games and punishment for losers in these games,” he added.
Then, the seawater training activity was conducted at around 2 to 2.30pm, Tomas said.
However, the active high tide for June 8 was expected at 2.27pm, he added.
“It is clear from the itinerary of the players that they were subjected to intense physical activity,” Tomas maintained.
“The victims were exposed to a hazardous open-sea environment characterised by rip currents, strong waves and varying seabed depths,” he added.
Baldwin previously apologised for Baterbonia and Adili’s deaths in a nearly nine-minute-long video posted on Ateneo’s social media page.
Tomas further cited the definition of hazing as “any act that results in physical or psychological suffering, harm, or injury… as part of an initiation rite or practice made as a prerequisite for admission or a requirement for continuing membership.”
He explained that 20 members of the Ateneo men’s basketball team were present at the activity, but only 17 would be included in the roster of players to be submitted to the University Athletics Association of the Philippines.
“The supposed teambuilding activity conducted in Aurora was precisely made to determine which members of the team will make it to the final list submitted by coach Tab Baldwin to the UAAP board,” Tomas noted.
Joining the briefing, CIDG director Maj Gen Robert Morico reiterated the police’s findings that no weights were found on Baterbonia and Adili’s bodies when they were recovered.
This was first bared by then-Aurora Provincial Police Office director Col. Percival Pineda.
He has since been relieved from his post following his remarks that there was no “foul play” in the case two days after the incident, according to PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr, also at the briefing.
Remulla noted that in the last two weeks, police investigators had gathered 620 pages of testimony and 320 hours of interviews from 60 individuals with 68 lawyers present during the course of the probe.
Despite this, he maintained that it was still up to the DOJ whether to proceed with the prosecution of the case and if other individuals, such as the first responders during the incident, could likewise be charged.
Morico noted that the Baterbonia family had been “partly informed” of the CIDG’s intention to recommend hazing charges against Baldwin and the 10 others.
“They were very cooperative and thankful,” the CIDG chief added.
In a statement later on Friday, Ateneo de Manila University spokesperson Fr. RB Hizon, SJ, said the school acknowledged the CIDG’s recommendation and “respected” the investigation.
“We also recognise 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,” Hizon said.
“We are confident that the facts will be fully and fairly evaluated through the proper process,” he added. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
