Ateneo players ‘fully cooperating’ with PNP CIDG probe — lawyer

MANILA, Philippines — A group of former and current Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball players is “fully cooperating” with the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) probe into the fatal drownings of players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

They began arriving at the CIDG headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, around 9 a.m. and started leaving around 4 p.m.

“They gave their statements freely,” lawyer VJ Topacio, who represents former players Kymani Ladi and Dom Escobar, told reporters in a chance interview. “They gave their statements freely… All players here cooperated with the investigation.”

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READ: Ex-Ateneo players go to CIDG amid Baterbonia-Adili drowning probe

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Asked why their discussion took hours, Topacio said, “Our police officers really had a lot to ask… There were a lot of investigators.”

“The PNP is trying to look at all angles, so let’s leave it at that,” he added.

He declined to give details.

The CIDG said it was coordinating with former Ateneo players to investigate resurfaced allegations of questionable practices by the team during past training activities, particularly under then-head coach Tab Baldwin.

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Neither the players nor the CIDG immediately gave a statement.

Baterbonia and Adili died after supposedly being swept away by a current during a training activity some 300 meters along the shoreline of Dipaculao, Aurora, last June 8.

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The CIDG earlier said the investigation into the incident was now looking into potential cases of homicide or hazing.

Baldwin has apologized for Baterbonia and Adili’s deaths in a video posted on Ateneo’s social media four days after the incident. /mcm

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