PNP recommends anti-hazing raps vs Tab Baldwin, 10 others

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:46 p.m.) — The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) has recommended filing charges for alleged violations of the Anti-Hazing Act against former Ateneo de Manila University men's basketball team head coach Tab Baldwin and 10 other coaching staff members.

The recommendation is in connection with the Aurora team-building incident that killed student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

The authorities announced the recommendation after presenting the findings of its investigation during a press briefing with the Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Friday, June 26.

Aside from Baldwin, included in the recommended complaint before the Department of Justice are:

• Grant Dearns - Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Ceasar 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 Ponce - Utility/Ball Boy
• Joel Palmiano Rapa - Utility/Ball Boy

“The PNP-CIDG recommends the conduct of evaluation, case build-up and preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice…for violation of RA 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act against the respondents, who actually planned or participated in the hazing,” their recommendation read. 

Meanwhile, the DOJ confirmed in a statement that it has received the recommendation by the PNP-CIDG.

The justice department said they will conduct an initial evaluation of the recommendation to determine whether the evidence gathered by the authorities are sufficient. If so, a preliminary investigation will follow.

Otherwise, the department will coordinate with the CIDG to further build up the case.

Not just initiation rites

Remulla stressed in the press briefing that hazing is no longer limited to commonly known initiation rites such as the use of paddle, shaming and other forms of violence, adding that the revised version of the law defined it as “any act that results in physical or psychological suffering, harm or injury inflicted on a recruit, neophyte, applicant or member,” including “forced calisthenics and exposure to weather.”

“Ang dati pong iniisip natin, ang hazing ay initiations lang. Ngunit dito, ang team building at training ay nag-cross over papunta sa hazing,” Remulla said. 

(Before, we used to think that hazing is initiation only. But here, team building and training crossed over to hazing.)

Not basketball-specific activity

According to the DILG, the CIDG obtained information that the team-building activity was conducted precisely to determine the 17 athletes who would make it to the final list of the men’s basketball team members to be submitted by Baldwin to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) board. 

Authorities added that 20 athletes participated in the activity, meaning three of them would be eliminated.

Ateneo interim head coach Louis Alas gave the DILG a testimony, saying the team building was “not a basketball-specific activity, but it was intended to determine the condition and mental toughness of the players”.

Baterbonia was laid to rest on Wednesday morning in his hometown Talacogon, Agusan del Sur. Adili’s remains, meanwhile, were returned to his family in Nigeria on Thursday. — with Ian Laqui