MANILA, Philippines — Former Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball head coach Tab Baldwin admitted before the labor department on Monday, June 29, that he has lacked an alien employment permit since 2013.
The admission came during a clarificatory hearing by the Department of Labor and Employment, where Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino noted Baldwin’s name was missing from the Bureau of Local Employment’s list of foreign nationals authorized to work legally in the country.
When questioned by the panel, Baldwin stated he received a partially filled Alien Employment Permit (AEP) application by email in 2015 but could not recall if he ever submitted a completed form.
“I did receive by email an AEP application form partially filled out…I’m generally fastidious about these sorts of things. However, I do not have a completed application form, a stamped application form,” Baldwin told the panel.
Tolentino also showed a sample of an alien employment identification card to Baldwin, but the former coach said he had never possessed such a card.
Baldwin, a dual citizen of the United States and New Zealand, was originally summoned by the labor department following the deaths of two Ateneo student-athletes during a team-building activity in Aurora.
The incident has since prompted a review of both the incident and the circumstances of Baldwin's employment, who resigned in the aftermath of the Aurora incident.
Exempt from Alien Employment Permit
Baldwin also claimed that he was not aware about the need to secure the alien employment permit card, and was only advised that his permanent residency would suffice.
“Nobody ever advised me that I should not have an AEP card,” Baldwin said. “I was only advised that a permanent residency card would satisfy my employment requirement.”
Baldwin mentioned a certain lawyer named “Dong Feliciano” as the one who had given him such advice. His legal counsel, however, said that they don’t have the information yet about this lawyer.
The claim that Baldwin no longer needs an alien employment permit card was backed up by one of his legal counsels, Daniel Darvin.
“Out of utmost caution, we take the position that the alien employment permit is not a requirement strictly applicable to our client in light of his permanent resident visa,” the lawyer said.
Under DOLE’s rules, permanent residents are indeed exempted from securing an alien employment permit, but are still required to apply for a Certificate of Exemption.
Baldwin also said he was not aware of the need for such a certificate.
DOLE Undersecretary Gerard Mosquera, who was part of the special panel in the hearing, said Baldwin “will not be considered compliant with the requirements of the law and regulations” for failing to secure a certificate of exemption.