MANILA, Philippines — Five members of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles basketball team were subpoenaed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to appear for a fact-finding investigation on Monday but only the university’s Athletics director Em Fernandez appeared.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Head Coach Tab Baldwin, team manager Epok Quimpo and ADMU professor Nemesio Que did not appear. The university sent a lawyer to represent them.
Remulla said they will issue another subpoena on Friday.
“A second absence will warrant a contempt of court if they do not attend,” Remulla said.
The interior chief said the investigation aims to determine the circumstances that led to the death of student athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili who drowned during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.
“It is a fact-finding mission, not fault-finding. We are not here to arrest, we are not here to charge but merely to gather the facts,” Remulla said.
The players are also set to be subpoenaed on Tuesday.
