University Athletics was not involved in approving the team-building activity: Ateneo official
The Office of College Athletics said it had no role in approving the Ateneo basketball team's team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, which resulted in the deaths of athletes Rene Baterbonia and David Adili.
The clarification came during a town hall meeting held by Ateneo de Manila University on June 16 to answer questions related to the deaths of the two players.
During the forum, OCA coordinator Benjamin Afuang said the office was not involved in organizing or authorizing the activity.
"If I remember it [the question] correctly, what was the role of the University Athletics in approving the team-building, the answer is none," he said.
Afuang added that the activity would not have received approval had it been brought before the office.
“University athletics has no hand in approving the team-building activity. If the University Athletics knew about it, if it was brought to them, if they [sought] approval, the answer is no,” he said.
In the same forum, a university official said that, following the fatal incident, one of the university's priorities is safeguarding sports.
On the participation of other teams in the upcoming UAAP Season 89, University President Fr. Bobby Yap said the university would first await the results of government investigations and any corresponding decision from the UAAP.
Yap also addressed a question on whether his conscience tells him he should remain as Ateneo president.
"Right now as Divine's body is still here, we're still dealing with the Baterbonias... I cannot make a dramatic move... if that is what I’m asked to do, but right now there is a lot that’s going on," he said.
An attendee also asked Yap to identify who would be fired and when.
"As I announced yesterday, we accepted the resignation of Coach Tab [Baldwin] and team manager Epok [Quimpo]. As of this moment, we will wait for the fact-finding board to determine all of that, and then we'll take the proper responses," he answered.
Asked what facts were still being awaited from the fact-finding committee, Yap said he had "tried to answer it as best as I can" and did not elaborate further.
Team-building tragedy
While participating in a team-building activity with the rest of their teammates at a resort in Dipaculao, Baterbonia and Adili were carried away by a rip current. They were found 30-40 minutes later. A physician at an Aurora hospital declared them dead on arrival.
Initial findings by the Aurora police have suggested the incident was purely accidental, and ruled out foul play.
Multiple agencies have launched parallel investigations into the incident, including the Dipaculao local government, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Philippine Sports Commission.
After days of silence, Baldwin expressed his remorse in the incident via a video statement, stressing that he's also feeling the magnitude of their loss. "Never again will I be able to help them develop into the basketball players they wanted to be, to help them grow into the young men that they promised that they could be," he said. "But that's insignificant compared to what their families are experiencing."
"At that moment, I felt I had failed—I failed as a leader. I felt I had failed as a coach. I certainly felt like I had failed as a friend to Divine and Rene," he said.
Baldwin and team manager Epok Quimpo have resigned from their posts. The two were a no-show before the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group's fact-finding investigation on June 15.
The CIDG is also looking into whether the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili constitute homicide or hazing cases.
