CJ Cansino's departure from the team signified the start of the Growling Tigers' saga in 2020 as allegations of multiple violations of quarantine protocols and insufficient living, dietary and health conditions caused player transfers, suspension and resignation of the team's top officials, and eventually the involvement of government bodies to step in and join the investigations on the said allegations. [12] [13]
Sequence of events
- August 20
On August 20, 2020, The Varsitarian through their official Twitter account broke the news of Cansino's departure from the Growling Tigers' roster. In the tweet, the school's student publication had mentioned that both the player and management had reached an agreement to "part ways." [14]
- August 21
Cansino in an interview disputed The Varsitarian's report on the two parties' agreement, claiming that he was removed even though he did not want to leave. An ABS-CBN Sports article reported that Cansino's removal was due to his "defiance of authority," where sources close to the team elaborated on how he approached the coaching staff on behalf of the team to relay their desire to go back to their respective homes. The cause of his removal was not clarified in the article, but it added that he was initially removed as team captain before the eviction from the roster. [15] [16]
UP Fighting Maroons coach Bo Perasol later announced that Cansino has committed to their team. Throughout the events that were unfolding, social media went abuzz on speculations of the existence of a "Bicol Bubble," a term coined by sports writers in reference to the NBA Bubble, when the American league resumed their 2019–20 season by bringing together the players, coaches and personnel of the teams in one single place. Members of the Growling Tigers were allegedly quartered to conduct training activities. Sorsogon, located in the Bicol region is the home province of Aldin Ayo. [17] [18]
- August 22
The media spectacle began reaching the attention of government agencies with the Games and Amusements Board announcing that they will begin investigating the incident over possible quarantine violations. A video surfaced around social media outlets showing members of the team conducting shooting practices. A number of commenters pointed out that the location was in Capuy, Sorsogon and that the team had been staying there since the middle of June. [19] [20]
- August 23
The Philippine Star's Abac Cordero posted on his Twitter account a photographed document, appearing to be a copy of a waiver by the players' parent or guardian that allows them their participation in the bubble. The document was addressed to the school's athletic director, Fr. Jannel Abogado. [21]
Coach Aldin Ayo finally issued a statement on the issue, saying "marked differences" between him and Cansino had caused the player's exit. The statement added that Ayo had chosen to refrain from making additional comments as the school had already begun their own investigation, though he was giving his assurance to fully cooperate with the inquiries by UST and the government agencies. [22] [23]
- August 25
The Varsitarian reported Abogado's resignation just before a scheduled meeting of school officials with the government's Inter-Agency Task Force that would discuss the team's alleged quarantine guideline violations. He was replaced by former director of UST's Institute of Physical Eduacation and Athletics, Fr. Ermito de Sagon who was set to sit on an interim capacity. [24]
- August 26
UST has ordered a stoppage of the team's training in Sorsogon. Ayo gathered the players to inform them of the school's directive to send them home, pending the completion of travel documents and other government clearance requirements. [25]
In a now-deleted social media post, Cansino shared six screenshot images from a Facebook group chat among the players and their parents regarding complaints about their living conditions in Sorsogon. In the thread, Cansino had relayed that the food being served to them was not to his preference, adding some of his teammates have resorted to ordering fast food instead. Soulémane Chabi Yo complained of experiencing homesickness and poor mobile phone signal, while Rhenz Abando said that no one from the staff was tending to the players who have become sick during their stay there. [26]
- August 27
The Commission on Higher Education has joined the investigation and announced that it was looking into UST officials' involvement and accountability in the team's "bubble" training. The CHED was tapped to join the tripartite of the Philippine Sports Commission, the GAB, and the Department of Health under the Joint Administrative Order, as the said JAO only covers professional sports teams. [27] [28]
- August 31
The UAAP board presented UST's investigation result and recommendations to the JAO and CHED. They were looking into which government agency had the authority to mete out sanctions on the school for their violation of the government's health protocols. The JAO earlier gave UST their permission to conduct their own investigation on the team's training bubble. UST submitted their internal report to the board on August 28. [29]
- September 4
Aldin Ayo has stepped down from his position as head coach of the Growling Tigers' senior men's basketball team. In his resignation letter, he extended his apologies to the people affected by condemnations thrown at the team as a result of the "Bubble" issue and reiterated his commitment to taking responsibility and willingness to face appropriate sanctions. [30]
- September 5
UST formally accepted Ayo's resignation, as well as those of his two assistant coaches, McJour Luib and Jino Manansala. While thanking the three coaches, an official statement read that the basketball program was moving forward to a rebuilding phase without a head coach. [31]
- September 9
The UAAP board has handed down an indefinite ban on Aldin Ayo. The league came up with the conclusion that the resigned coach has endangered the "health and well-being" of his players by holding a training camp, which was a violation of the government's health protocols amid the pandemic. The league's Board of Managing Directors recommended the sanction and was ratified by the Board of Trustees, which are composed of the UAAP's eight member school presidents. The ban prohibits Ayo from participating in any capacity, in all UAAP events and UAAP-sanctioned activities. [32] [33]
- September 14
Jimi Lim's Ironcon Builders withdrew their sponsorship of the Growling Tigers' basketball program. The consortium came onboard before the start of the 2019 UAAP season to take over Chuck Dumlao's FMR Corporation and to mainly give support to Aldin Ayo. With this new partnership, the team was able to recruit blue chips from the high school ranks, boosting not only the senior men's team, but also their junior counterpart, the UST Tiger Cubs basketball program. With Ayo's resignation, Ironcon decided to also leave. [34]
- September 19
Mark Nonoy and Deo Cuajao, in an interview disputed claims made by Cansino on what transpired in their training camp in Sorsogon. Nonoy clarified that the players did not hold any scrimmages as they trained separately in different batches and in different facilities within Ayo's property. Regarding their sleeping arrangements, Cuajao said that three players were staying in one room. He did not address the issue about the group chat complaints, adding the players involved came to Sorsogon a month before he and Nonoy arrived. On Cansino's narration about their movements being restricted within the "bubble," the two denied it by saying that anyone in the team was able to leave and come back freely at any time. [35]
- September 30
The Sorsogon Philippine National Police found no violation committed by Ayo with regards to the IATF quarantine guidelines. A memorandum submitted by the police agency to Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero has cleared the former Growling Tigers coach from any liabilities in the COVID-19 safety precautions. They also concluded that no school-sanctioned basketball training occurred within Ayo's property during the team's stay from June until August and certified the team's compliance in securing documents, travel passes, tests and the mandatory quarantine period upon their arrival in Sorsogon. [36]
- October 7
UST sent a letter to the UAAP endorsing Ayo's appeal for reconsideration on his indefinite ban. [37]
- October 13
The UAAP released a statement acknowledging UST's letter of endorsement of their former coach's appeal on his sanction. In their reply, the statement read that the said appeal will be tackled by the association in "due time." Reports bared that among the contents of UST's letter was a statement that they do not accept the findings of the Sorsogon PNP which absolved Ayo of any IATF violations and insisted on the correctness of the report that they earlier submitted prior to the meeting with JAO. [38]
- November 23
Aldin Ayo's appeal as well as UST's endorsement to lessen the former coach's sanction remained in limbo. When asked about the status of the case, UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag replied that the board has yet to set a date for discussing the matter while awaiting investigations by the CHED and the Department of Justice. [39]
The CHED has completed their fact-finding report in October and has turned it over to the DOJ, who they claimed has the jurisdiction with regards to the IATF rules that the team may have violated. CHED Chairman Popoy de Vera opined that from reading UST's internal report, there was clearly some training done in Sorsogon involving UST's basketball players. [40]
The DOJ earlier said in a statement that they were evaluating whether or not the department had jurisdiction over the report submitted to them by the CHED. A DOJ official who was interviewed on the condition of anonymity gave his opinion on how the investigation was more of administrative, rather than criminal in nature and had doubted that the department would have jurisdiction over it. The official was short in ruling out any criminal liability due to the Sorsogon PNP clearing the parties involved in the bubble. [41]
DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in an interview in November that the department has not started an investigation as they were yet to receive a formal complaint against Ayo or UST. It was also revealed that the DOJ has returned the report to CHED over jurisdiction issues. [42]
- December 11
The UAAP announced the cancellation of Season 83 due to lingering COVID cases that kept students out of schools and forced them to remain into quarantines. The decision was made after a series of meetings by the league's Board of Trustees, putting to priority the health and safety of the student-athletes. The league earlier ruled against the regular opening of games in the first semester of the school year in September, but had considered a January start with all games to be played in the second semester. [4] [43]
