MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education issued a show-cause order to the Ateneo de Manila University after it failed to provide an incident report and documents regarding its own investigation into the death of student athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
Baterbonia and Adili died on June 8 during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.
In a statement late Tuesday night, CHEd Chairman Shirley Agrupis said its National Capital Region office directed Ateneo to submit the necessary documents and reports after its meeting last June 9.
Agrupis said that it has made repeated requests for the submission for these documents "given the seriousness of the incident and the Commission’s responsibility to ascertain the facts and determine compliance with applicable regulations."
" Despite follow-ups by CHED-NCR, the University failed to provide the required records and information," Agrupis added.
Because of this, CHEd issued a SCO on June 16, which mandates Ateneo to submit a written explanation under oath within 10 days from receipt of its order.
"The University must state why the Commission should not impose appropriate sanctions for alleged violations of the following; CMO (CHEd Memorandum Order) No. 63 (s. 2017), on the conduct of off-campus activities; CMO No. 6 (s. 2026), in relation to Republic Act No. 11053 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR); and its alleged failure to exercise reasonable supervision over its students in loco parentis (in the place of a parent)," Agrupis said.
Agrupis said that the CHEd could not allow matters involving the loss of student lives and questions of institutional accountability to remain unaddressed, stressing that higher education institutions are expected to cooperate fully with regulatory processes, particularly in incidents involving student safety and welfare.
