Ateneo team manager strongly advised vs Aurora activity — Remulla

MANILA, Philippines — Former Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball team manager Epok Quimpo “strongly advised against” the Aurora training activity in which two student-athletes drowned, according to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

In a press briefing in Quezon City on Friday, Remulla bared that Quimpo had given a statement to the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) for the investigation into the deaths of players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

“Sa huling basa ko, sinabi niya he strongly advised against conducting this exercise… dahil sa mga nangyari nga dati,” Remulla said.

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(He said he strongly advised against conducting this exercise… because of what happened before.)

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READ: Hazing raps recommended vs Tab Baldwin, 10 others over 2 cagers’ death

“But, I also asked resigned Ateneo men’s basketball coach Tab Baldwin about it. I asked whether anyone had objected to the exercise. He said no one did, none that he can recall,” Remulla added.

Remulla did not say when Quimpo had given his statement nor if he personally appeared before the PNP- CIDG headquarters in Camp Crame.

Quimpo was originally set to appear before the CIDG last June 15 but only sent a lawyer.

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Baterbonia and Adili died after being swept away by large waves while training in a beach resort in Dipaculao, Aurora last June 8.

Earlier in the briefing, Remulla announced that the PNP CIDG recommended that Baldwin and 10 others be charged with violating Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act over the incident, citing the definition of hazing in the law as “forced calisthenics and exposure to the weather.”

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According to Remulla, although Baldwin maintained that there were no past drowning incidents during their training activities in Aurora, some former players told police investigators that they had nearly drowned./gsg

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