Metro Manila, Philippines – The family of the late Ateneo cager Rene Baterbonia is unconvinced that the deaths of the 19-year-old athlete and teammate Divine Adili during a team building were purely accidental, despite hearing from school officials on the first day of the wake.
Asked whether Ateneo had responded adequately, Rovelyn Baterbonia, the athlete’s mother, replied, “Yung nga sabi ko, may kulang.”
[Translation: That’s why I said, something’s missing.]
“Aksidente lang daw talaga yung nangyari. Tapos sinabi ko lang sa kanila – aksidente yung nangyari dahil sa kakulangan ninyo,” she added.
[Translation: They said what happened was an accident. Then I told them, the accident happened because of their lapses.]
Rovelyn said she has yet to receive information on the autopsy results and is waiting for official documents about her son.
Baterbonia’s longtime coach, Jess Evangelio, said Ateneo representatives told the family that there were no weights during the training and that strong waves scattered players running in waist-deep water.
He added that coaches were stationed both in the water and along the shoreline, while a medic was present at the site.
The family was also told that the resurfacing podcast interviews with former Ateneo players describing the team building as physically demanding were true.
“Yes totoo, nangyari daw talga yun dati pero through the years ini-improve daw nila na mas safer,” said Evangelio.
[Translation: Yes, they said that really happened before, but through the years they have supposedly improved to make it safer.]
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice on Wednesday, June 10, directed the National Bureau of Investigation to form a task force to investigate the issue and determine the possible filing of charges.
Pinoy Workers Rep. Karl Legazpi has also filed a resolution seeking a congressional inquiry into the safety of school-sponsored athletic programs.
Baterbonia, the 2025 Palarong Pambansa Most Valuable Player and a recent silver medalist at the 2026 games, was expected to make his collegiate debut in the UAAP season.
