JAO group set to elevate UST case to DOJ, mulls drafting guidelines for amateurs

FILE – UST Growling Tigers during the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball finals. INQUIRER PHOTO

Framers of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases’ Joint Administrative Order (JAO) are set to submit to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday a written report on University of Santo Tomas’ reported breach of quarantine protocols, the Inquirer learned.

The group, which consists of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Games on Amusements Board (GAB), joined by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) convened in a virtual meeting earlier Friday to further discuss UST’s possible violations under the JAO.

GAB chairman Baham Mitra shared the development, adding that UST has been requested to halt the Growling Tigers’ camp in Sorsogon City, since “it was not indicated in the report they have stopped.”

Also discussed in the said meeting was drafting a new set of guidelines that leagues for amatuers could adopt during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mitra said he is tapping the Philippine Basketball Association, Chooks-to-Go 3×3 Pilipinas, and the Philippine Football League also Friday, requesting each league to come up with their best practices to help the JAO group in putting together such measures.

“It can be used as reference for amateurs to emulate,” he told the Inquirer. “I’m confident that the (people at the pro level) are willing to share what they are doing because, after all, this is one industry.”

A virtual presser is slated for Monday afternoon, where GAB, CHED, and the aforementioned leagues are going to present their suggestions which the JAO hopes to submit to the IATF.