Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The head coach of the UST Growling Tigers, runners up of the UAAP season 78 men’s basketball tournament, has not been allowed to continue training the team, The Varsitarian, the university’s official student paper, has reported.
Quoting UST athletic director Fr. Emerito De Sagon, the January 28 report said that following school policy, coach Bong Dela Cruz “cannot handle the practices” while he is under an investigation. The Varsitarian said Fr. De Sagon did not specify what Dela Cruz was being investigated for.
In a statement Monday, Dela Cruz said he was ready to speak on the “issues” hurled against him, without specifying what they were, at the “proper forum.”
“When there is an investigation, the usual thing is that they will not [perform their duties],” De Sagon was quoted as saying. The report did not say when the investigation started.
According to The Varsitarian, De Sagon said the school administration investigates complaints, but the report did not say what the complaints were, or whether they were directly against Dela Cruz.
De Sagon was quoted as saying the investigation was “about out basketball program in reference to the University’s policies.”
Dela Cruz said he has a clear conscience and was worried the incident might put the university under a cloud.
“Nais kong ipabatid na simula nang lumabas ang mga “issues” o usapin labas sa akin ay nagpasya akong manahimik, dahil walang katotohanan ang mga binabatong issues laban sa akin at naniniwala ako na magtatapos ito sa tinatawag na “Natural Death”, subalit sa paglipas ng mga araw ay nararamdaman ko na lumalala na ang ginagawang paninira hindi sa kakayahan ko bilang coach kung ‘di paninira sa aking pagkatao,” the statement from Dela Cruz read.
“Alam ko sa aking sarili na malinis ang aking konsensya subalit mas pipiliin ko na kung kinakailangan ay sa tamang lugar o sa proper forum ako magsasalita upang maipahayag ko ang aking panig,” he added.
Dela Cruz steered the Growling Tigers to a runner-up finish in the UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball finals, losing to the FEU Tamaraws in a gruelling best of three series.
