Tab Baldwin set to appear before NBI on Tuesday

MANILA, Philippines — Resigned Ateneo De Manila University men’s basketball team head coach Tab Baldwin is scheduled to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday after he failed last week to comply with a subpoena issued to him.

Baldwin’s expected appearance is amid the NBI’s ongoing investigation into the death due to drowning of Ateneo players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team-building activity in a resort in Dipaculao, Aurora, on June 8.

READ: Resort where Ateneo athletes drowned says ‘no negligence’ committed

“He is scheduled to appear tomorrow,” NBI Director Melvin Matibag said in Filipino in a Viber message to the INQUIRER on Monday.

Baldwin was first scheduled to appear before the bureau last Tuesday, but his legal counsel, Karl David, arrived instead, saying that the coach is “not in good condition.”

As a result, Baldwin’s appearance was rescheduled for Friday last week, which he also failed to attend, as he appeared before the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group that day.

Meanwhile, assistant coach CJ Elumba and student manager Paulo Adivoso’s respective counsel appeared at the NBI Homicide Division this Monday, also in connection with the probe in the death of Baterbonia and Adili.

Elumba was not able to appear personally because he had a prior commitment while Adivoso vowed to arrive on June 24, according to their counsels.

Also scheduled for Monday are coaching staff and utility workers of the Ateneo, but Homicide Division chief Jun Astrero told the INQUIRER in a Viber message that they also requested to reschedule their appearance.

“They will appear on Wednesday,” Astrero said.

READ: NBI creates task force to probe Ateneo student-athletes’ death

Two weeks prior to the drowning incident, Baterbonia, 19, played in the Palarong Pambansa finals and committed to the Blue Eagles program, while Adili, 21, a Nigerian foreign student-athlete, saw action in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament. /gsg /das