Mindanao Mother Seeks Answers After Son's Death in Ateneo Trip
The mother of Rene Baterbonia, the Ateneo Blue Eagles player who drowned during a team building activity in Aurora, is demanding answers and accountability from the university.
'My Son's Sport Is Basketball, Not Swimming'
Rovelyn Baterbonia arrived in Manila from Davao City on Tuesday, June 9, grieving and searching for the truth. Her 19-year-old son Rene and teammate Divine Adili drowned on Monday, June 8, after being swept away by strong currents during a team activity in the sea at a private resort in Dipaculao, Aurora.
Why were they in the sea when my son's sport is basketball and not swimming? an emotional Rovelyn told GMA News and News5 in Filipino. It hurts. I've supported him so much from childhood until now, and then they just did this to him.
The tragedy struck barely a week after Rene, a proud son of Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, moved to the Ateneo de Manila campus in Quezon City last Thursday, June 4. He had just come from a homecoming at the Palarong Pambansa hosted by Agusan del Sur, where he helped Davao Region capture the silver medal.
A Mother's Plea for Transparency
Before Rene flew to Manila, Rovelyn gave her son a warm embrace, sending him off with a simple mag-amping, the Visayan way of saying take care. A few days later, she received a text message from Rene saying he would be away from his phone for a week due to the team building.
Looking back, Rovelyn said the family would have made a more informed decision had they been told about the nature of the activities.
They never really told us that there would be that kind of training. If they had told us from the start, I would have asked my child, 'Can you handle that?' so that we could make a decision together, she said. My son's dreams lasted only a moment. They destroyed them.
Questions Without Answers
Rovelyn raised serious questions about the lack of safety measures during the activity. It took them so long to find him. There were many of them and yet they couldn't rescue him. Why did they go there without any rescue team, without a medic? she asked. I have so many questions that still haven't been answered.
She called for a thorough investigation and appealed for help from anyone willing to assist the family.
University Offers Prayers, Police Find No Foul Play
Ateneo university president Fr. Roberto Yap met the Baterbonia family at Arlington Memorial Chapels and Crematory in Quezon City on Tuesday morning. Fr. Bobby spent time with the family, joined them in prayer, and blessed Rene's remains, Ateneo said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Aurora Police Provincial Office found no indication of foul play. Police Colonel Percival Pineda said the Blue Eagles have held similar activities at the same resort for years. Authorities urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information on social media.
Multi-Stakeholder Investigation Underway
The Philippine Sports Commission announced on Tuesday that it formed a multi-stakeholder body to investigate the incident. The panel includes the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP), the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the National Youth Commission (NYC).
Beyond fact finding, the panel will examine existing policies, protocols, and training practices to strengthen safeguards in athletic training environments.
For the Baterbonia family from Agusan del Sur, however, no policy review can bring back a son whose dreams were cut short. I really want justice for what happened and to know why this happened to my son, Rovelyn said.