Officials of University of Santo Tomas have accepted the resignations forwarded by Growling Tigers' head coach Aldin Ayo and his two assistant coaches.
University officials confirmed their decision to let Ayo and the coaching staff go in an official statement yesterday.
Assistant coaches McJour Luib and Jinino Manansala joined Ayo in leaving the squad.
Luib has been with Ayo since they were with Letran when the Knights won their last championship back in Season 91 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Manansala is also handling the UST Tiger Cubs boys' squad.
With Manansala also gone, the university will now have openings for new coaches in both the senior and junior squads.
“It is with a heavy heart that the University of Santo Tomas accepts the resignation of Mr. Aldin Ayo, Head Coach of the UST Men’s Basketball Team, together with the resignations of Mr. Mcjour Luib and Mr. Jinino Manansala as Assistant Coaches,” said university officials in their statement.
On Friday, Ayo officially resigned as coach of the Growling Tigers.
His option to leave his job comes a few hours after a government tripartite panel known as the Joint Administrative Order group resolved to elevate its findings to the Department of Justice on Monday.
Ayo's move to step down also came a day after the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Board of Managing Directors decided to bring its findings to the Board of Trustees, composed of presidents of member schools.
The BMD made a similar recommendation of conducting further inquiry and possible sanctions on the team and on the fate of Ayo.
“Rest assured that the university will remain committed to the welfare of the student-athletes and that the process of rebuilding athletic programs, particularly that of the Men’s Basketball Team, through compassion and competence, will commence,” added university officials in their statement.
The JAO discussed its findings with the Commission on Higher Education, through chairman Prospero de Vera.
De Vera felt that violations may have been committed when the Growling Tigers men's basketball team did practices in Sorsogon, while lockdown protocols were still in place in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The decision to hold Ayo responsible was unanimous, according to sources.
Controversy involving the Growling Tigers began last August 20.
That was when Growling Tigers skipper CJ Cansino was removed from from the team after he made efforts to explain to Ayo his mental health issues at that time.
Cansino eventually transferred to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
A total of five players quit the team since then, while the university's Institute of Physical Education and Athletics head Jannel Novino Abogado, O.P., resigned and was immediately replaced by Fr. Ermito de Sagon
The exodus of players from the Growling Tigers followed with the latest being 6'2" small forward Ferdinand Asuncion Jr., who is said to have joined the Mapua Cardinals.
After Cansino left, Bren Paraiso, Rhenz Abando and Ira Batiller followed suit.