CIDG seeks Aurora drowning travel alert

Ateneo men’s basketball coach Tab Baldwin may be among several persons of interest covered by an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order requested by the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

This developed as the PNP-CIDG widened its probe into the deaths of two Ateneo student-athletes during a team-building activity in Aurora province.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame on Thursday afternoon, CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II said investigators had asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to issue lookout bulletins against several individuals linked to the case, including a foreign national, although he declined to identify those covered by the request.

The CIDG is investigating the deaths of Ateneo student-athletes Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who both drowned during a team activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, on 8 June.

Morico said investigators have established a timeline of events leading up to the tragedy and have issued subpoenas to numerous individuals who may have information relevant to the case.

The timeline covers the athletes’ departure from Ateneo on 4 June, the travel arrangements of the participants, and the events that transpired until the fatal incident four days later.

All from Ateneo

“We have several persons of interest. We have issued subpoenas to several individuals, including the players who were part of the Aurora trip during that fateful day,” Morico said.

He said investigators were coordinating closely with the National Bureau of Investigation, which is conducting a parallel probe into the incident.

“We have requested an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order from the Department of Justice to prevent certain persons of interest from leaving the country. One of them is a foreign national,” Morico said.

Born in the United States, Baldwin carved his basketball career in New Zealand.

The subpoenas cover a broad range of individuals, including athletes, coaching staff, school officials, local government personnel, resort representatives and even the driver of the bus that transported the team.

“We requested several, not only one. Because all of them are from Ateneo. Some of them have the capability to travel abroad,” Morico said.

While declining to reveal the exact number of persons of interest, CIDG officials said they comprise only a portion of those to be interviewed, with others to be treated as resource persons who may help establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Criminal liability

The CIDG chief emphasized that the investigation is focused on determining whether criminal liability exists and whether negligence or other contributory factors played a role in the deaths of the two student-athletes.

“What we are trying to establish is if the school authorities concerned prepared for the safety and medical needs of the athletes who participated in the team-building activity,” he said.

Morico said the CIDG is also examining the actions of local authorities and resort personnel, particularly since the incident occurred near a public beach reportedly marked with warnings against swimming.

He added that investigators are seeking to determine whether adequate measures were taken to keep participants away from potentially dangerous areas, especially considering the weather condition at the time.

The CIDG also confirmed that efforts were underway to collect and review all available CCTV footage that may help reconstruct the events before and during the tragedy.

The investigation comes despite earlier statements from local police in Aurora indicating that initial findings pointed to the absence of foul play.

Ways to break silence

The CIDG, however, stressed that it would be premature to draw conclusions while interviews and evidence-gathering efforts were ongoing.

“What I can say right now is the investigation is ongoing. After we have interviewed the persons of interest and the participants, that’s the time we can make a formal conclusion,” Morico said.

The CIDG expects the individuals who received subpoenas to appear before investigators beginning Monday. Different schedules have been arranged to accommodate the large number of witnesses and resource persons.

The CIDG said it has legal remedies available should subpoenaed individuals refuse to participate in the investigation. “We want to give justice to the victims and their families,” Morico said.

“We are doing everything necessary to ensure that the investigation will be thorough and that any case that may arise from it will be airtight,” he added.