House to seek appearance of Ateneo coaches in athletes' death probe

MANILA, Philippines — The coaching staff of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) men’s basketball team will be at the top of the list of resource persons to be invited by the House of Representatives for its investigation into the death of two student-athletes, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said on Tuesday.

Ortega in a statement said that aside from the resolutions filed by lawmakers, House committee on public order and safety chairperson and Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano has already sought a motu proprio investigation into the deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili — members of Ateneo’s basketball team who drowned during a team-building activity in Aurora province.

The coaches, he said, will be invited to this hearing which may be calendared on Wednesday, during the special session.

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“The coaching staff will definitely be at the top of the list of those who will surely be invited.  And probably some of the players will also be invited because they were there during the event,” Ortega said mostly in Filipino.

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“Cong. Valeriano has already filed a resolution under his committee, for motu proprio inquiry but there is no date yet, maybe we will get updates tomorrow during the special session of Congress as to what are the latest developments,” he added.

Ortega was one of the members of the House’s Young Guns bloc who vowed to file a resolution seeking a probe on Baterbonia and Adili’s deaths.

Ateneo announced that Baterbonia and Adili died last June 8, while the team was in the middle of a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.  Baterbonia, 19, recently played in the Palarong Pambansa finals two weeks ago and committed to the Blue Eagles program, while 21-year-old Nigerian foreign student Adili played in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.

READ: Ateneo’s Rene Baterbonia, Divine Adili die in drowning incident

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Initial report from the Police Regional Office 3 stated that Baterbonia and Adili “were swimming when they were reportedly carried by a strong current into deeper waters.”

Police said an investigation is underway.

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READ: Ateneo players ‘were swimming when carried by strong current’ – police

On Monday, ADMU president Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ formally apologized to the bereaved families and the entire Ateneo community, saying that the educational institution must “look inward” and evaluate its system to ensure that student-athletes will remain safe and fulfill their dreams.

“Two young men entrusted to our care did not return home, and that fact breaks our hearts.  No explanation, context, or words can undo that loss.  We face this moment with absolute humility and we ask for your prayers and your forgiveness,” Yap said during a press conference held at ADMU grounds.

READ: Ateneo head apologizes: 2 young men entrusted to us didn’t return home

In the same speech, Yap confirmed that ADMU has accepted the resignation of men’s basketball team head coach Tab Baldwin.

According to Yap, the week-long team-building of its men’s basketball team has been a traditional activity, extending to the time of Baldwin’s predecessors.

Yap said that based on what he knows, the tradition was already present when Norman Black was coaching the Blue Eagles.  Black started coaching the Blue Eagles in 2005, while Baldwin was coach from 2016.

The ADMU President said it was the team’s fifth time at the same Aurora resort.

Ortega said the team management, along with the resort owner and the local government units involved may also be summoned during the inquiry.

“I think the team composition will also be invited, maybe a representative from the institution, the academe, and also the resort owner or the local government of the area where they were training,” he noted.

“Maybe it’s better if we will listen and monitor in the coming days because this will be investigated,” Ortega added.

Ateneo was criticized for a supposed inaction after the deaths of the two student-athletes, with several netizens questioning the alleged lack of urgency from school authorities.  The school released a few statements after the June 8 incident, but they were not statements from the university leadership.

Monday’s press conference was the first time that Yap publicly addressed the matter.

However, Yap clarified that their silence, despite a week after Baterbonia and Adili’s deaths, was out of respect for the grieving families.

Yap said the university “chose direct, involved action for the families and the members of the team” instead of broadcasting these to the public, adding that public relations must not come first over grieving families.

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According to Yap, Ateneo has reached out to Baterbonia’s family since day one, noting that they extended every possible assistance even if the bereaved family chose the help offered by the Agusan del Sur provincial government. /jpv