Ateneo's University Athletics Office had no hand in approving Aurora team-building —college athletics coordinator

Did the Ateneo de Manila University Athletics Office have a hand in approving the team-building activity that claimed the lives of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili?

According to Office of College Athletics coordinator Benjo Afuang, it did not.

This was disclosed during a town hall meeting with members of the Loyola Heights campus community on Tuesday.

“What was the role of the University Athletics [Office] in approving the team-building, the answer is none,” Afuang said, drawing gasps from the audience.

“The University Athletics had no hand in approving the team-building activity.”

“It was asked if the University Athletics knew about it, if it was brought to them, if approval was sought from them, the answer is no.”

The Office of College Athletics, of which Afuang is part, and the University Athletics Office are two separate offices under Ateneo's administrative structure.

According to the Ateneo website, the Office of College Athletics assists student-athletes of the Loyola Schools.

GMA News Online is trying to reach the University Athletics Office for comment.

In a press briefing on Monday, PNP-CIDG Director P/Major General Alexander Morico II said that they learned from University Athletics Office that the Ateneo men's basketball tam was allegedly operating autonomously and independently by a foundation under Smart Communications.

During the same town hall meeting, basketball players Jared Bahay, Andrew Bongo, and Ian Espinosa also recounted their experiences during the tragic incident.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA News