CIDG recommends filing of Anti-Hazing Act complaint vs Tab Baldwin, 10 others over Ateneo players' deaths

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has recommended the filing of complaints for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 11053, or the Anti-Hazing Act, against 11 individuals in connection with the drowning deaths of two Ateneo de Manila University student-athletes during a team-building activity in Aurora.

Presented during a press briefing on Friday, the CIDG’s recommended respondents include:

• Tab Baldwin, head coach
• Grant Dearns, strength and conditioning coach
• Caesar Vincent Javellana Elumba, strength and conditioning coach
• Dean Caesar B. Castaño, assistant coach
• Sandro Nicholas Romero Soriano, assistant coach
• Reynaldo C. Jacinto Jr., assistant coach
• Paolo Manuel Maceda Adevoso, student manager
• Andrew Lorenzo Bondoc Salud, student manager
• John Eric Quiambao Rueca, physical therapist
• Aris Ramos Pronce, utility/ball boy
• Joel Palmiano Rapa, utility/ball boy

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the recommendation will be forwarded to the Department of Justice, which will determine whether probable cause exists and what charges, if any, should be filed.

Assistant Secretary Brian Mey R. Tomas said investigators found that the players were allegedly subjected to extreme physical activities, punishment exercises, and sea-based training under hazardous conditions before two student-athletes drowned on June 8.

The CIDG believes the circumstances may constitute hazing under the Anti-Hazing Act, although the DOJ will make the final determination after conducting a preliminary investigation.

Remulla also cited testimonies from former Ateneo players alleging similar near-drowning incidents occurred during a 2016 training camp at the same location, contradicting former coach Baldwin’s earlier statement that no such incident had happened before.

“This is only the recommendation of the CIDG as complainant,” Remulla said. “The final arbiter of what they will be charged with will be the Department of Justice.”

“Hindi po ito tungkol sa training o hazing. Ito’y tungkol rin sa mga karapatan ng mga manlalaro,” the secretary said in a press briefing.

(This is not about training or hazing. This is also about the rights of our players.)

“Ito rin po ay sana maging leksyon para sa lahat ng mga organisasyon na ang ganitong klaseng bagay ay hindi pwedeng dalhin sa magaanang paraan lamang. Hazing is not only initiations, hazing can occur in any organization,” he added.

(I hope that this will be a lesson for all organizations that these kinds of things shouldn’t be taken lightly. Hazing is not only initiations, hazing can occur in any organization.)

Remulla also cited a previous interview of Baldwin, where he stated that they sought to “stretch the limits of these players… take them near their limit.”

The secretary said that the Anti-Hazing Act was revised to include any acts that results in physical or psychological suffering, harm or injury. He added that another element is a prerequisite for admission or continuing membership.

Ateneo de Manila University acknowledged the CIDG's recommendation to pursue a preliminary investigation into possible Anti-Hazing Act violations in connection with the drowning incident.

“We acknowledge the CIDG’s recommendation and respect the work it has undertaken in the course of its investigation,” university spokesperson Fr. Rene “RB” Hizon, SJ said in a statement on Friday.

Also on Friday, Ateneo president Fr. Roberto "Bobby" Yap appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to give his statement in connection with Aurora team-building activity.

"What I really like to say is, we have condoled, we have apologized, and we continue to support them. We have provided assistance and we will continue to support them," Yap said.

Meanwhile, Remulla said former Ateneo men's basketball players team have contradicted Baldwin's claim that no drowning scare had occurred during a previous training camp.

Remulla said that similar incidents nearly turned fatal years before the deaths of Baterbonia and Divine Adili in Dipaculao, Aurora. He said investigators learned this from the testimonies of former Ateneo players who attended a team-building activity in the same town in 2016.

On June 8, Ateneo de Manila announced that two of their student-athletes, Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, died in a drowning incident during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.

READ MORE | Ateneo recruit Rene Baterbonia, foreign student athlete Divine Adili die in drowning incident

—JMB/ VDV, GMA News