SENATOR Bam Aquino has called for a Senate investigation into the deaths of Ateneo de Manila University basketball players Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, seeking stronger accountability mechanisms and enhanced safety safeguards for students participating in off-campus school activities.

In a Senate resolution filed electronically on Thursday, Aquino urged the appropriate Senate committees to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two student-athletes during an off-campus activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, on June 8, 2026.

“The deaths of Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili demand a careful and impartial examination of the circumstances that led to the incident, not only to ensure accountability where warranted, but above all to draw lessons that may help prevent the loss of young lives in the future and provide their families and the public with a full and truthful account of what transpired,” Aquino said.

The senator also visited Baterbonia’s wake on Thursday to personally express his condolences to the bereaved family.

In his resolution, Aquino underscored the significance of the loss, noting that both athletes embodied the aspirations of countless student-athletes striving to excel in both academics and sports.

“They earned opportunities through talent, discipline, and hard work, making their sudden deaths an especially painful loss felt far beyond the basketball court and a tragedy that resonates with every family that entrusts the safety and well-being of their children to educational institutions,” he said.

The proposed inquiry will examine whether existing laws, regulations, and institutional policies governing school-organized activities are adequate and consistently enforced, particularly in relation to off-campus sports, training, and team-building events.

Aquino said the review would cover current requirements for such activities, including parental consent procedures, safety protocols, supervision standards, emergency response measures, coordination with local authorities, and other safeguards designed to protect students.

“It is also necessary to review accountability mechanisms for student activities, including reporting requirements following serious incidents, enforcement of safety standards, and the responsibilities of schools and activity organizers in protecting student welfare,” Aquino stressed.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Aquino said he is also advancing measures to address bullying in schools and plans to incorporate provisions in his proposed School Safety Act to strengthen safety standards for off-campus school activities.

Aquino, an Ateneo alumnus who completed his elementary, high school, and college education at the university, said the tragedy underscores the need for stronger protections to ensure the safety and well-being of students under the care of educational institutions.