FORMER Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin and 10 others face charges of violating the Anti-Hazing Act following the deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili in their ill-fated team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora last June 8.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jonvic Remulla made the announcement in a press briefing on Friday at the end of the probe of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a preliminary investigation into the matter.
"Ang team-building at training ay nag-cross over papunta sa hazing,” he said.
READ UAAP bans Ateneo coaches amid probe into two Blue Eagles' deaths
Aside from Baldwin, named as respondents together were strength and conditioning coaches Grant Dearns and Caesar Vincent Elumba, assistant coaches Dean Castano, Sandro Soriano, and Jon Jacinto, student managers Paolo Adevoso and Drew Salud, physical therapist John Eric Rueca, and utilities Aris Pronce and Boy Rapa.
Remulla added that Section 14(a) of RA 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act specifically penalizes "those who actually planned or participated in the hazing, as a consequence of the hazing, death... results there from."
"Hazing is not just initiations. According to the law, [which was] revised in 2018, 'Hazing refers to any act that results in physical or psychological suffering, harm, or injury inflicted on a recruit, neophyte, applicant, or member.' That applies to the basketball team," he said.
"The supposed team-building 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," added DILG Asst. Sec. Brian Mey Tomas.
In a statement issued after the DILG press conference, Ateneo said it "will remain steadfast in its commitment to accountability, student welfare, and the highest standards of safety and institutional responsibility.
"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.
"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 underway to help ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated," the school said.
Remulla said players' consent and waivers do not absolve the organizers from any liability, pointing out the activity was done without the knowledge of the university.
Former team manager Epok Quimpo also said during the investigation that he advised against staging the team building in Aurora citing previous incidents, yet Baldwin argued that there was nobody who opposed the activity.
The police investigation validates previous accounts of the activity: that the players were woken up by sirens at 4 a.m. where they were made to run for 4 kilometers.
“This was subsequently followed by intense physical games and punishment for losers in these games,” Remulla said.
'Tragedy could've been avoided'
Baldwin, for his part, was "fully aware of what might happen" given the tides in Aurora, citing the past incidents where former Ateneo players GBoy Babilonia and Chibueze Ikeh almost drowned back in 2016.
“This tragedy could have been avoided,” said Remulla.
As for this year's activity, five players including Adili indicated that they didn't know how to swim, yet Baldwin asked them to handle rip currents, the DILG said.
"He was of full knowledge that this could happen. Ang mahirap rito, paano mo tuturuan ang hindi marunong lumangoy na mag-handle ng rip current?, added Remulla. “All these circumstances show that the elements of violation of the Anti-Hazing Law may be present."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
