Awaiting CHED’s decision

First, it was UAAP that lowered the boom on resigned Ateneo men’s basketball team coach Tab Baldwin. Then came DOLE that slapped a P4.9 million fine on Baldwin for Alien Employment Permit violations and another P4.9 million fine for failure to secure a certificate of exemption related to his foreigner status and receiving a salary for unauthorized work.

UAAP also meted a permanent ban on Baldwin from participating in and attending any league activity. Since it’s been established that Baldwin was ineligible to coach Ateneo, what are the repercussions on his record? Of course, this doesn’t disallow any other league from hiring Baldwin but who will want to employ him after an allegation of reckless imprudence leading to double homicide in the Aurora tragedy last June? Besides, he holds no employment permit and under the circumstances, wouldn’t be able to get clearance from DOLE because of his involvement in the deaths of two Ateneo players and alleged moral ineptitude.

Several team officials and coaches were named by UAAP as under suspension and banned from attending any league event or game. UAAP, however, didn’t suspend Ateneo from competing this season, sparing student-athletes who would’ve had to sit out the year. In 1994, UAAP suspended Adamson for a year after fielding an academically ineligible player Marlou Aquino. In 2006, UAAP suspended La Salle for a year due to the use of ineligible players, forcing student-athletes in all sports at both the junior and senior levels to take a hiatus. La Salle was never accused and brought up the matter on its own after reviewing the school’s academic files.

Unlike the merciless attitude towards Adamson and La Salle, UAAP held back on Ateneo. UAAP must have realized how heartless it was in the past and wouldn’t want that dark history repeated. In DOLE’s view, Ateneo wasn’t spared a P4.9 million fine for employing Baldwin without permits.

CIDG has recommended filing of criminal charges against Baldwin and eight Ateneo team officials. NBI has likewise pushed for the filing of homicide charges against Baldwin and 11 others. If convicted, Baldwin will face a long stretch in prison and pay a hefty fine. DOJ will now conduct its own investigation to determine probable cause to file charges.

While different agencies have issued statements on how they’re dealing with this tragedy, CHED has yet to announce its course of action. CHED had ordered a swift, impartial investigation of the incident and said it will “pursue the truth without exception, ensure that accountability is imposed where warranted and require corrective measures to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.” Will CHED issue sanctions or stay silent? Will the sanctions, if any, be far-reaching?