Referee charged over Ateneo shower room videos

Charges have been filed against a collegiate soccer referee who was caught taking videos of varsity players taking a shower in Ateneo de Manila University’s Blue Eagle Gym last Sunday.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU), said charges of unjust vexation and violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Child and Youth Welfare Act were filed the other day before the Quezon City Fiscal’s Office against suspect Dennis Valoria.

 “The video (stored in Valoria’s cellular phone) showed nine players topless while inside the shower room. Two of these female players are minors,” he told The STAR.

Mabanag said the other videos seen stored in Valoria’s Nokia N91 cellular phone were erased before the suspect was brought to the police station. The suspect was not able to send copies of the stored video to others, he said.

Mabanag said Valoria faces six to 12 years’ imprisonment and fine of at least P20,000 if convicted. The suspect is still detained at the QCPD-CIDU inside the Camp Karingal compound in Quezon City.

A varsity player caught Valoria secretly taking videos of her teammates in the shower. The players and coaches of two schools having a game for the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) were able to catch Valoria, who was about to leave the Ateneo campus along Katipunan road.

Ricky Palou, head of Ateneo’s Athletic Department, said it was the first time that such an incident happened at a UAAP game and the UAAP leadership will meet to discuss corrective measures, like posting a guard to secure players’ shower and locker rooms.