Puzzled Duremdes opens up about Adamson firing

MANILA, Philippines – After his Adamson Falcons lost to the FEU Tamaraws in a FilOil preseason tournament prelims game on Saturday, May 30, Head Coach Kenneth Duremdes received a phone call that would turn the next 48 hours of his life into a whirlwind of emotions, questions, and eventually, acceptance. 

When Team Manager Gilbert Cruz phoned Duremdes, the head coach thought it would be an explanation why the team official left the game against the Tamaraws early to meet with Father Greg of Adamson University.  

Only moments into the conversation, Cruz told Duremdes what he least expected to hear: that he was out of a job.

“Bakit ganon? I think I deserved (a face-to-face meeting),” Duremdes opened up to Rappler on Monday, June 1. “Kung paano nila ako tinangap, which was formal, which is I believe the right way – tinawag ako nang pare – siguro yun for me yung right way (to let me go). Yun ang tingin kong just and right.”

(Why was it like that? How they hired me, which was formal, which I believe is the right way – the priest called me – that should have been the right way for me to get let go. That’s what I feel is just and right.)

“[It was] out of nowhere. Walang signal. Walang official talks. Kasi nga, ako ineexpect ko, before gumawa sila nang decision na ganon, kakausapin muna nila ako. Nag decision sila tapos nila ako kinausap.” 

(It was out of nowhere. There was no signal. There were no official talks. I would have expected that before they make a decision like that, they’d talk to me first. The made the decision first and then they told me.)

But more poignant than being fired through a phone call, Duremdes was let go two years before the proper threshold he says he was given when he signed the contract in 2013 to become Adamson’s successor to Leo Austria. 

Duremdes was handed spare parts from Austria’s regime: a team composed of only 3 seniors (Jansen Rios, Don Trollano, Ryan Monteclaro) and a number of freshmen and other Team B members elevated to the Falcons’ UAAP team.  

The result was as expected: one win in 14 games, including a 25-point performance which was the lowest scoring output in a UAAP contest since 2003. 

“I was shocked, kasi I believed one year wasn’t enough for a basketball program. We agreed on a 3-year program, a 3-year contract,” said a dumbfounded Duremdes. 

“We were in transition period which is why I asked for a 3-year program. I need to develop and find more talent, sinabi ko sakanila (I told them).” 

Adamson issued a press release early Monday, saying they would search for a replacement who could devote his “full time and attention” to the university’s basketball program and that assistant coach Mike Fermin would take over on an interim basis. 

The statement claims that Duremdes was not giving full attention to his job – something he decries as unjustifiable.

“Ano yung full-time for them? Yun yung tanong ko,” said the former Adamson superstar. “Yun yung tanong ko. For me, I believe nagawa ko yun. Kahit naman maraming extra activities… again, we see to it na hindi natatamaan yung practice nang team. So hindi ko alam ano yung full-time.” 

(What is full-time for them? That’s my question. That’s my question. For me, I believe I gave them that. Even if there were a lot of extra activities… again, we see to it that it doesn’t affect our practice hours. So I don’t know what they mean by full-time.) 

Did he dedicate hours to improving the Falcons and keeping his team on the 3-year path he set out for them? Absolutely, he promises. 

“Yes, I did. That includes recruitment from the provinces and the States. And yun naman talaga, official yun; alam nila yon – na every time I recruit at nawawala ako, alam nila yon. Especially our President.” 

(Recruiting was official; they know that – every time I would recruit and be unavailable, management would be aware. Especially our president.) 

“I worked hard to recruit players, but again, kung duon natin i-base sa full time… I don’t know, parang sinasabi nila na pinabayaan ko yung team eh.”

(It’s like they’re saying that i just left the team unsupervised.)

Duremdes, confused about what was transpiring, immediately searched for an explanation after receiving his termination news from Cruz. The response he received stated that the resolution for his dismissal went beyond the judgment of just team management.

“Nung tinawagan ako at tangal na ako, I was asking for an explanation. I was asking for a reason. Ang sabi nung Team Manager, wala raw. Basta nag decide nalang yung community – he was using the word community – nag-decide na tangal na raw ako.” 

(After I was fired, I asked for an explanation. I was asking for a reason. The team manager said, it’s nothing. Just that the community decided I would be let go.)

“Hindi ko na trinry tumawag pa, kasi yun na yung order. Pero I talked to yung mga ibang community involved – yung mga stakeholders – eh hindi naman nila alam yung decision. Hindi nila alam.”

(I didn’t try calling others anymore, because that was already the decision. But I talked to other community members involved – the stakeholders – and they didn’t even know the decision to fire me.)

Duremdes repeatedly stressed the 3-year transition period he was given upon his hiring. He wasn’t presented with a mandatory feat, such as making the Final Four of the men’s basketball tournament or winning a specific amount of games in his rookie campaign. 

Year one of his tenure was supposed to be the first and most strenuous climb back to respectability for an Adamson team that also missed the Final Four in Austria’s final season with the team, he says.

“I mean, hindi ko alam kung yun ba talaga yung reason. Wala naman silang warning na, ‘Coach, kung hindi tayo nag-perform nang ganito, pagusapan natin ha.’ Wala naman eh. I do believe na nandoon parin kami sa pinagusapan namin before I signed the contract, na it’s a 3-year program,” said Duremdes.

(I don’t know what’s the real reason. They didn’t give any sort of warning this was the result they were expecting. I believed that we were still focused on our agreement before I signed the contract, which was that it would be a 3-year program.)

Now that he’s out of a job, what Duremdes’ immediate plan? “Pahinga (rest),” he says. “Mag unwind muna, tapos uwi muna sa province. Tapos pag may opportunity again, why not?”

(I’ll unwind first and then go home to my province. And then if there’s another coaching opportunity, why not?)

When asked how he will look back at being given the chance to coach the school where he made a name for himself as a future PBA star, Duremdes said he was appreciative of the opportunity. 

And about grudges – will he hold any? 

“Sa mga pare wala,” he said. “Pero I know na, again, yung time is essence sakanila, hindi naman ako nag-kulang.”

(I won’t have any against the priests. But I know that, their time is important reasoning, I never lacked in giving that.) 

– Rappler.com