The tripartite body investigating the beleaguered men’s basketball team of the University of Santo Tomas for its health and safety protocol violations is elevating its findings to the Department of Justice.
The government panel known as the Joint Administrative Order group, composed of officials of the Philippine Sports Commission, the Games and Amusement Board and the Department of Health, made this decision following a meeting with the Commission on Higher Education.
The CHED, through chairman Prospero de Vera, felt that violations may have been committed when the Growling Tigers men’s basketball team held practices in Sorsogon, while lockdown protocols were still in place.
“It’s up to the DOJ to find merit on the actions to be taken by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases. This is for further investigation by the DOJ,” said national training director Marc Velasco of the PSC.
De Vera discussed his findings after reading the report submitted by UST’s legal team during an online meeting last Tuesday.
“Medyo mabigat ang findings ng CHED. Mabigat,” added Velasco.
The group agreed to submit a report to the IATF on possible sanctions based on the report and inquiries done on the issue, according to Velasco.
Attending the online meeting of the JAO Group were PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez, CHED Chairman Popoy de Vera and GAB Chairman Baham Mitra, along with Rodley Carza of DOH.
This comes a day after the Board of Managing Directors of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines decided to bring the matter to the UAAP Board of Trustees, composed of presidents of the member schools.
The BMD made a similar recommendation of conducting further inquiry and possible sanctions on the Growling Tigers and coach Aldin Ayo.
“The discussion covered compliance with government-issued guidelines and protocols on the conduct of school and athletic activities during the community quarantine,” said the league in a statement.
The decision to hold Ayo responsible for holding a training camp without clearance from government authorities was unanimous, according to sources.
“Following a lengthy discussion, the UAAP BMD drafted its recommendations, which will be submitted to the UAAP Board of Trustees for review and approval,” said the BMD in a statement.
It will now be up to the Board of Trustees to discuss and decide what penalties to be slapped on the Tigers and Ayo.
“The UAAP understands the gravity of the matter as it concerns the safety and well-being of student-athletes of a member-school,” said the board.
Sources said Ayo could face a minimum of six months of suspension or a possible lifetime ban.
Among the violations the training camp committed centered on “the movement of all persons in areas placed under GCQ.”
Under GCQ, rules to top the spread of the coronavirus have it that “any person below twenty-one (21) years old, those who are sixty (60) years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services or for work in permitted industries and offices.”
It was learned that 17 members of the Growling Tigers went from the National Capital Region to Sorsogon from June 17 to July 29.