Police criminal investigators recommended filing of hazing charges against resigned Ateneo basketball team head coach Tab Baldwin and 10 others involved in the team-building activity in Aurora province around two weeks ago where two of the student athletes drowned.

In a press conference on Friday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the recommendation for the filing of complaints for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 11053 or Anti-Hazing Act is already signed and forwarded to the Department of Justice.

“This is only the recommendation of the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) as (a) complainant,” he said.

“The final arbiter of what they will be charged with will be the Department of Justice.” he added.

During the press conference, Assistant Interior and Local Government Secretary Brian Tomas stressed that the investigation shows that team-building activity conducted in Dipaculao, Aurora was meant to “determine which members of the team will make it to the final list submitted by Coach Baldwin to the UAAP Board,” noting that only 17 of the total of 20 players involved in the activity will be chosen to join the list.

“The CIDG found that the seawater-based activity constitutes hazing because there is a deliberate intent to cause suffering among players," he said.

"This is evident in the fact that Tab Baldwin, in his own testimony with the CIDG, admitted that they intentionally chose the dates June 7-12 to coincide with the low tide,” he added.

Tomas said student athletes were “subjected to intense physical activity starting at 4 am, when they were woken by a siren and were made to run for 4 kilometers."

“This was subsequently followed by intense physical games and punishment for losers in these games,” he said.

“All these circumstances show that the elements of violation of the anti-hazing law may be present,” Tomas added.

The ten other respondents included in the recommendation were Grant Dearns and Caesar Vincent Javellana Elumba, the strength and conditioning coaches; Dean Caesar Castaño, Sandro Nicholas Romero Soriano, and Reynaldo Jacinto Jr., assistant coaches; Paolo Manuel Maceda Adevoso and Andrew Lorenzo Bondoc Salud, student managers; John Eric Quiambao Rueca, physical therapist, and Aris Ramos Pronce and Joel Palmiano Rapa, the utility or ball boys.

Remulla said the CIDG’s recommendations include a preliminary investigation and case build-up by the DOJ against the respondents who “planned and participated in the hazing.”

In a statement, the Ateneo de Manila University "acknowledge the CIDG's recommendation and respect the work it has undertaken in the course of its investigation."

"We also recognize that other investigations remain ongoing, and we will continue to cooperate fully with all competent authorities as they complete their respective inquiries, while the CIDG’s recommendation will now be reviewed by the Department of Justice, as provided under the law. We are confident that the facts will be fully and fairly evaluated through the proper process," it stated.

"Throughout this process, Ateneo remains steadfast in its commitment to accountability, student welfare, and the highest standards of safety and institutional responsibility. The University will continue to support the families of those involved, care for its students and community, and strengthen the reforms already underway to help ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated," it added. Robina Asido/PHS