Ateneo de Manila University said the silence of head coach Tab Baldwin following the deaths of two student-athletes was not a personal decision, but one made at the direction of the university.

The clarification comes after the deaths of men’s basketball players Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who drowned during a supposed team-building activity on June 8.

In a statement issued June 11, the university said it had asked Baldwin to refrain from making public comments to allow official processes to move forward and for facts to be established before any public discussion.

“The University requested that Coach Baldwin refrain from making public statements to allow the official processes to proceed and the facts to be established,” the statement read.

The school added that, in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Baldwin was advised to focus on the emotional and psychological well-being of players, coaches and staff affected, as well as his own.

“At a time when our priority was caring for those most directly affected, we believed it was neither appropriate nor helpful to ask Coach Baldwin to engage in public commentary,” the university said.

Ateneo emphasized that Baldwin’s silence should not be interpreted as indifference or lack of concern, but as part of a broader effort to prioritize care, healing and due process while the community mourns and investigations continue.

“As the various inquiries proceed, the University remains confident that the truth, established through facts rather than speculation, will in due course provide the clarity and understanding that this tragedy demands,” it added.

On the same day, the Department of Justice said it has received a request for the issuance of an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against Baldwin.

Authorities and the university are continuing their respective investigations into the incident.