PSC FORMS MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PANEL AFTER ATENEO ATHLETES’ DEATH
Ateneo announced that Baterbonia, 19, and Adili, 21, died of drowning during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora on Monday.
In a statement, the PSC said the death of the two is a “profound tragedy for Philippine sports and for all who knew and supported them.”
As the government agency mandated to provide leadership and direction in sports development and athlete welfare, the PSC said it is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigations and is convening a sports stakeholders’ panel to support the efforts of the Philippine National Police and the Department of Justice in probing the incident.
The body will include the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, University Athletic Association of the Philippines, Commission on Higher Education and the National Youth Commission, according to the PSC.
It added that the panel will examine existing policies, protocols and training practices toward resolutions to strengthen safeguards in athletic training environments.
“The goal is not only to understand what happened, but to ensure that lessons learned lead to safer, more responsive systems that protect athletes while sustaining high-performance sport,” the PSC said.
“Excellence in sport requires environments that push human potential, but never at the expense of safety,” it added.
The PSC also offered its condolences to the families of Baterbonia and Adili.
A product of Ateneo de Davao, Baterbonia led Davao Region to the boys’ basketball gold medal in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte and was named Most Valuable Player.
He once again led Davao Region to another championship appearance in his home province of Agusan del Sur just last month, but they lost the title to CALABARZON, 62-79, on May 30.
The tragic accident came less than a week since Baterbonia moved to the Ateneo campus in Katipunan, Quezon City. He was supposed to debut for the Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 89 later this year.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Adili suited up for Ateneo in Season 88.
‘Swept by strong current’
The two young student-athletes were reportedly swimming when they were “carried away by the current”, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) said in a statement, citing information gathered so far by investigators.
Police said personnel from the Dipaculao Municipal Police Station immediately responded to the incident and coordinated with concerned agencies to provide assistance.
The victims were rushed to a medical facility but were later declared dead by the attending physician.
“While the investigation remains ongoing, initial findings indicate that the victims were swimming when they were reportedly carried by a strong current into deeper waters,” PRO-3 said.
The regional police office urged the public to refrain from speculation while authorities complete their investigation and reminded beachgoers to observe safety advisories, particularly in areas known for strong currents.
Mother laments lack of orientation
Rubilyn Baterbonia, Rene’s mother, told Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane Jr. that no orientation was given to the family regarding the training her son would undergo after joining the Ateneo basketball team.
“They didn’t orient me by saying: ‘Ma’am, when your child comes, we have this kind of training.’ If they had just explained to me that there was such training, I wouldn’t have agreed,” she said in their dialect.
She said she backed her son’s sports pursuits to help the family endure economic hardships, but would not have sent him to Ateneo had the risks been properly explained.
“Even if we face hardships, I would not have sent him there. But they really didn’t explain things to me properly,” she added.
Baterbonia, whose family moved from the Agusan Marsh to Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, due to frequent flooding, said she planned to bring home her son’s remains after autopsy, but was told the process would take three days.
Agusan del Sur provincial government extended condolences to Baterbonia’s family, saying his “untimely passing is a profound loss not only to the basketball community but also to the entire province.”
“May his family find strength and comfort in the outpouring of love and prayers from those whose lives he touched,” the provincial government said.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the ADMU issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of the two student-athletes who died by drowning.
“The entire Ateneo community mourns the loss of Rene and Divine. The university extends its heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, teammates, coaches, and loved ones. We ask the community to keep them in their prayers during this most difficult time,” the ADMU said. (PNA)
