Ateneo de Manila University says Thomas Anthony “Tab” Baldwin is not a university employee but works only under a consultancy arrangement. In statements made during a clarificatory hearing before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), lawyers for Ateneo president Fr. Roberto Yap told the agency that Baldwin served as the Blue Eagles’ head coach under a consultancy agreement rather than an employment contract. The reports also say Baldwin did not physically attend the hearing, while Ateneo’s president was likewise not present and instead sent representatives because he had other commitments, including Senate hearings scheduled the same day. The university’s legal position focuses on the absence of employer-employee relations between Ateneo and Baldwin, characterizing the relationship as consultant-based. The DOLE hearing is part of the agency’s process to determine Baldwin’s employment status with the university. Overall, the outlets converge on Ateneo’s core argument to DOLE: Baldwin’s role is defined by consultancy terms, not by an employment relationship.