Metro Manila, Philippines – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin’s intense boot camp has come under intense scrutiny after the drowning of incoming rookie Rene Baterbonia and big man Divine Adili during team building in Dipaculao, Aurora.
Aurora police confirmed that initial investigations showed no foul play on that fateful Monday, June 8.
Online interviews of ex-Ateneo players have resurfaced as well.
Mike Nieto, who won three UAAP titles with the Blue Eagles under Baldwin, shared his boot camp experience in a podcast interview with PBA legend and Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Ranidel de Ocampo and stand up comedian GB Labrador.
He said they were taken to a remote resort in Baler, Aurora for rigorous activities that tested their limits.
Nieto recounted they had to give up cellphones for the entire training camp, seemingly fit for soldiers and without any sports activity.
“Dadalhin kami sa isang resort na tago tapos gigisingin kami para kami magiging sundalo for one week. Akala namin yung usual na training camp, yun pala wala palang basketball. Kinuha lahat ng cellphone namin,” he said.
[Translation: We were brought to a hidden resort where we will wake up like soldiers for a week. We thought it was a usual training camp but it did not involve basketball. Our phones were also confiscated.]
Nieto recalled pre-dawn wake-up calls with intense sand exercises and swimming drills.
“One week kami magkakasama tapos hindi mo alam kung kailan kayo gigisingin, minsan biglang may alarm ng 3 a.m. tapos magla-lunges kami sa buhangin tapos lalangoy din po kami,” he said.
[Translation: We were together for a week. There were times they woke us up at 3 a.m. and made us do sand and swimming exercises.]
Nieto remembered what he described as a terrifying moment where his teammate who did not know how to swim almost drowned.
“Tapos syempre iba niyo pong kasama hindi naman marunong lumangoy so hindi niyo pwedeng iwan. Hanggang sa may isang time, si Gboy Babilonia, meron kasi dapat tatakbo sa buhangin tapos magswi-swimming iikot eh hindi marunong lumangoy ‘yung beterano namin tapos si coach Tab na ‘yung sumalba sa kanya na parang sa takot din niya kasi muntik na siyang maka aksidente ng player,” he said.
[Translation: One time, Gboy Babilonia, our veteran, who did not know how to swim, was saved by coach Tab from drowning.]
Nieto said the tough times formed a strong bond among the Blue Eagles and helped them build character.
“Pero dun nabuo ‘yung tinatawag naming band of brothers. Yung culture namin ng servanthood kasi all throughout kami magkakasama and kami rin yung nagluluto ng pagkain namin.”
[Translation: This experience strengthened our bond as brothers. We also learned the culture of servanthood because we had to count on one another.]
Meanwhile, other former Ateneo players came to the defense of the men’s basketball team and its coaches.
Shaggy Allmond refuted online claims that the boot camp was more of an “initiation rite” than a team building.
“As someone who experienced that training camp during my time with ADMU that they also just went through as well, I understand the gravity of the training itself and what we willingly put ourselves through in hopes to boost conditioning ahead of the season and become closer as a team.
“There is absolutely no way that this had anything to do with ‘initiation.’ The team goes there for the sole purpose of conditioning, getting stronger, becoming a closer team due to the hardships faced during that specific beach training,” he said.
He urged the public to be careful about sharing unverified claims related to the case while the Ateneo community mourns.
“Don’t take those interview clips from some of my previous teammates out of context and try to spin your own story out of it for content. Yes, that was probably the most physically and mentally draining training that I’ve ever experienced but there was nothing done to us that would put us in immediate danger,” Allmond said.
