DILG to submit full report on Ateneo drowning case to DOJ on Tuesday

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) report into the fatal drownings of Ateneo de Manila University basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili will be turned over to the Department of Justice (DOJ) next Tuesday.

In an interview with reporters at Camp Crame on Thursday, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Philippine National Police (PNP) investigators are waiting only for at least one more player and several members of the coaching staff, including former head coach Tab Baldwin, to give their statements.

“Perhaps, on Tuesday, we’ll bring our full report to the DOJ,” sabi ni Remulla.

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READ: Kieffer Alas shows up at PNP-CIDG HQ amid Ateneo drowning probe

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Asked whether their investigation had already determined whether certain individuals were liable over the incident, Remulla answered, “As long as someone dies, there’s always liability. But, for me to tell you who’s liable, I can’t say just now.”

Baterbonia and Adili died after being swept away by a current during a training activity along the shoreline of Dipaculao, Aurora earlier this month.

The PNP–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was looking into the incident, including possible violations of the Anti-Hazing Act.

Asked whether hazing was still a possible angle as the investigation progressed, Remulla said, “All things are on the table.”

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At least 48 individuals have been subpoenaed by the CIDG in connection with the investigation, according to its director, Maj. Gen. Robert Morico II.

An Ateneo official appeared last Monday, 10 players on Tuesday, seven more players on Wednesday and at least eight other players on Thursday.

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“We’ve uncovered a lot. We created a timeline of what happened from the decision-making that they would go to the team-building; who could swim and who could not; whether they had informed their coaches that they could swim; when the coaches arrived at the site; and what their conditions were when everything unfolded,” Remulla explained.

“We’re still gathering the facts. The treatment for them was okay. I asked them all, the parents and the lawyers if there were any aggressive lines of questioning, if they felt uncomfortable. All the players agreed the proceedings were fair. The lawyers had no qualms. The parents also had no qualms,” he added. /mr

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