THE government is stepping in to look into an alleged practice 'bubble' by University of Santo Tomas players in violation of quarantine rules.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin Dino told Spin.ph his office will investigate the reported unsanctioned practice of the Growling Tigers in coach Aldin Ayo's hometown in Capuy, Sorsogon.
"We're going to look into the matter," he said in a short text message to Spin.ph.
Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chair Baham Mitra earlier said the group which drafted the Joint Administrative Order (JAO), which included his office, the Department of Health (DOH), and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will seek a dialogue with UST and Ayo about the matter.
Under the JAO, only professional teams in basketball and football are allowed to practice under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
Sorsogon has been under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) as a moderate risk area since June 1, the timeframe when the players supposedly headed to Bicol.
Based on the implementing guidelines released by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Emerging Infectious Diseases in the JAO, non-professional sports for MCGQ moderate risk areas are only allowed for non-contact activities, which will have a maximum of 10 players per sport and observing a skeleton workforce but the total number of individuals in the said vicinity shall not exceed 25 persons.
On top of that, non-contact strength and sport-specific trainings are only allowed if the participants have access to their own equipment.
Spin.ph reached out to UST to comment on the matter, but they have yet to respond as of posting time.
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