Hours before the second deliberation — set between the Joint Administrative Order group, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, Commission on Higher Education, and University of Santo Tomas — former Growling Tigers skipper CJ Cansino posted screenshots of the group chat he made with the parents of the student-athletes.
In the group chat created last August 9, Cansino showed the grievances and qualms of the Growling Tigers in the alleged ‘Bicol bubble’.
“Good evening po, etong mababasa niyo po dito ay yung mga concern namin sa nangyayari dito sa Sorsogon,” Cansino opened.
“I-inform lang po namin kayo sa nangyayari dito.”
After the addition of the parents of Cansino, Bryan Samudio, Bismarck Lina, Rhenz Abando, Ira Bataller, and Brent Paraiso, he would reply, “Please wala po muna kakausap kay Coach Aldin. Kami na po gagawa ng first move.”
Cansino started things off by talking about the food in Sorsogon, “Hindi po namin nagugustuhan yung food dito at konti lang kasi kaya yung iba sa amin, nag-oorder ng fast food.
“Kaso ang problema nagkasakit yung iba sa amin [tapos] sa amin sinisisi kung bakit kami nagkakasakit. Pero sa tingin namin dahil sa luto nila dahil puro pork at mamantika.”
Joshua Fontanilla’s guardian would ask what illness spread among the Growling Tigers.
Brent Paraiso continued, saying, “Yung binibigay na food sa amin, sobrang sakto lang po. Never po naging sobra yung ulam na binibigay sa amin.
“Tapos sobrang dami po natitira nila na ulam pero hindi nila binibigay sa amin.”
Lina, Paraiso, and Bataller then raised how the food rations came in small quantities and were “oily”.
Bataller said, “Sabi po sa amin ng nagluluto dito (mommy ni Tita Joy Ayo) na bago pa kami pumunta dito, may sakit na daw kami.”
Soulemane Chabi Yo then chimed in, “For me even if I can go back to Manila now, I’m ready. But if not yet pa, basta uwi na tayo after two to three months maximum. Everyone of us has food that we prefer to eat but here we just eat what they cook even if we don’t like it.
“I’m trying to adjust but it’s difficult. I am homesick, very bored. We have poor signal and different routine from what we are used to. Not happy with this at all.”
Abando then brought up how even when they are sick, no one takes care of them inside the “bubble”.
“Stress po talaga dahil pag nakasakit po kami dito, wala pong nag-aalaga sa amin kung hindi katulong.”
Bataller’s mom Hazel suggested that why not ask the helpers of the owner of the house if they could cook the food they want.
Paul Manalang though gave a lengthy response to it.
Head coach Aldin Ayo, the team’s management, and school officials have remained mum regarding the matter as the school is still in the process of gathering facts in an ongoing investigation.
