Metro Manila, Philippines – A number of government agencies have launched probes on the drowning of Ateneo de Manila University student athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Awili.
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino on Thursday, June 11, told the media that his agency filed a show cause order against men’s basketball team head coach Tab Baldwin, ordering him to explain his alien employment permit (AEP).
US-born Baldwin has coached teams in Malaysia, China, Turkey, New Zealand, Lebanon, and Jordan.
“He has to show documents at kasasabi ko lang kanina, yung bagong rules namin sa AEP ay pinirmahan ko lang one day after this incident, nangyari itong incident ng June 8. Yung bagong rules namin sa AEP pinirmahan ko ng June 9,” Labor Sec. Francis Tolentino said on Thursday, June 11, referring to the drowning case during a team building in Aurora province.
[Translation: I only signed our new rules on the AEP one day after the June 8 incident. I signed the new rules on June 9.]
Tolentino said the new rule requires technical expertise for AEP recipients.
“We want him to show whether that AEP was extended or whether that AEP has already expired,” Tolentino said, adding that he wants to observe Baldwin’s demeanor.
NBI probe
Meanwhile, following a directive from the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has launched its own probe on the incident.
In a statement issued Thursday, the bureau highlighted its commitment to an impartial investigation through its newly-formed task force.
“This inquiry is not directed at any institution because of its name, its standing, or its resources, and it is not pursued on behalf of any family because of theirs. The law fixes a single standard of care that binds every organizer of every activity, and it is measured against conduct and facts alone,” the NBI said.
“A prestigious institution is neither shielded by its stature nor singled out because of it. Those who would cast this tragedy as a struggle between the privileged and the powerless mistake both the law and the purpose of this inquiry.”
An earlier autopsy on Baterbonia found that he died of asphyxiation by drowning, according to Aurora police. Awili’s family has likewise requested an autopsy on the Nigerian cager, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said in a statement on Wednesday, June 10.
Calls for accountability, protection for student-athletes
The drowning has also sparked calls for accountability and improved safety protocols for student-athletes.
On Wednesday, the Philippine Sports Commission said it would push for the “enactment of a law regulating the coaching profession.” This includes the establishment of a national registry, mandatory licensing and certification, and deeper requirements for coaches.
It said it would establish stiffer safety standards, risk management protocols, and emergency response capabilities for all levels of sports.
Lawmakers have also sought legislative inquiries on the drowning and on school-sponsored athletic programs.
ADMU, meanwhile, has drawn criticism on social media for its supposed lack of explanation on the tragedy.
