Giving University of Santo Tomas and National University a chance to explain themselves, the Commission on Higher Education is set to send a show cause order to the two universities.
CHED chairman Popoy De Vera made the announcement on Monday afternoon in an online press conference by the Joint Administrative Order group for sports.
“In so far as violations of CHED advisories are concerned, show cause orders will be issued to NU and UST demanding them to explain why sanctions should not be imposed on its officers, teaching, and non-teaching personnel for its failure to comply with the guidelines of CHED.”
UST has been under investigation for holding a “training camp” in Capuy, Sorsogon from June to August.
Violations of the following Inter-agency Task Force guidelines committed by the school are:
2. The movement of all persons in areas placed under GCQ shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in the offices or industries permitted to operate hereunder. Provided, that movement for leisure purposes shall not be allowed.
3. Any person below twenty-one (21) years old, those who are sixty (60) years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services or for work in permitted industries and offices.
From June 17 to July 29, 17 members of the Growling Tigers went from NCR to Sorsogon. NCR was under GCQ during that time, while Sorsogon was under MGCQ until June 30.
In Sorsogon, the Growling Tigers held a “training camp”.
But the Joint Administrative Order group has also made it clear that “Recreational and Non-Professional Contact Sports and Activities shall be temporarily suspended regardless of risk severity until an effective vaccine and/or appropriate standard of care for COVID-19 cases is developed. On the other hand, professional contact sports and activities shall be allowed for Filipino professional players with scheduled tournaments abroad and in low-risk areas, while observing appropriate protocols and guidelines.”
On the other hand, NU sent its women’s volleyball team to its Laguna campus during the enhanced community quarantine back in March.
Videos and photos posted online showed the team training.
The school said that a total of 42 student-athletes were left stranded in NU because of the quarantine. However, schools were off-limits during that time.
For its part, CHED has completed its fact-finding report on the alleged violations committed by UST and NU and has submitted it to the IATF, Department of Justice, and Department of the Interior and Local Government for appropriate action.
