PSC-led sports panel backs CIDG Aurora tragedy probe

A panel of sports stakeholders on Wednesday expressed support for the ongoing investigation into the Aurora tragedy that claimed the lives of two Ateneo de Manila University student-athletes, while urging sweeping reforms to strengthen athlete protection and professionalize coaching in the country.In a statement dated July 1, the Sports Stakeholders' Panel said it supports the investigation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which is looking into the June 8 incident in Dipaculao, Aurora that killed team manager Rene Clert "Bobet" Baterbonia and student-athlete Divine Adili during a men's basketball team-building activity.The panel said it appreciates the CIDG's "diligent and sustained pursuit of the truth," commended its public updates, and expressed confidence in the agency's adherence to due process.It also backed the Commission on Higher Education's ongoing review of institutional oversight under Ched Memorandum Order No. 63, series of 2017.The statement comes as authorities investigate whether hazing or negligence contributed to the deaths.The panel acknowledged that the investigation has raised concerns among coaches and sports administrators about balancing rigorous athletic training with athlete safety."Many sports demand discipline, rigorous physical conditioning, and mental fortitude," the panel said. "Coaches and team managers therefore bear the dual responsibility of pushing athletes to excel while exercising sound judgment and safeguarding them from harm, abuse, exploitation, and competing interests that compromise athlete-centered training in pursuit of profit or power."The group reiterated its commitment to raising professional standards for coaches and team managers through continuing education, mandatory certifications, including basic life support training, clearer operational guidelines, and stronger safeguarding measures across sports programs.It said the reforms are intended to protect both athletes and coaches while reinforcing ethical practices and restoring public trust in Philippine sports.The panel noted that the Philippine Sports Commission has begun implementing reforms through its Coach Developer Academy, which trains coach developers ahead of the planned National Sports Coaching Certification Program.The initiative is being carried out in partnership with the Department of Education, while Ched is drafting new memorandum orders on athlete welfare and safe sport.The statement also encouraged national sports associations to strengthen their safeguarding frameworks and appoint safeguarding officers to ensure concerns raised within sports organizations are properly addressed.According to the panel, these initiatives could help pave the way for renewed discussions on the proposed Sports Coaching Act under House Bill No. 2631.The group called on the country's sports community to support the reforms and reexamine existing practices."The power entrusted to us, the accountability we accept, and the standards we choose to uphold will define the culture of sport that shapes our youth and, ultimately, the kind of nation we become," the statement said. MLSA