Calls for a Senate inquiry into the drowning of two Ateneo de Manila University student-athletes continue to mount as of Thursday, as questions over their sudden deaths and as to who should be held accountable deepen.
Senators Bam Aquino, Bong Go, and Robin Padilla would file respective resolutions next week to launch a parallel probe into the drowning incident that led to the tragic deaths of Rene Baterbonia, 19, and Divine Adili, 21, during a so-called team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, on 8 June.
Strong sea currents swept Baterbonia and Adili during their training walk in seawaters at around 2:30 p.m., police said. Rescuers recovered their bodies after 30 to 40 minutes.
Aquino, an Ateneo alumnus and chairperson of the Senate committee on basic education, lamented the loss of the young athletes, whom he called “the most promising” basketball players of their generation, had the incident been avoided and stronger safeguards been in place during off-campus activities.
The inquiry aims to demand definite answers from concerned parties, including the coaching staff, not only to ensure accountability but also to strengthen safety protocols, such as
stricter requirements for parental consent to prevent the recurrence of the incident.
The congressional probe also aims to review existing requirements for school-organized off-campus activities, including strict supervision, emergency response measures, coordination with local authorities, and other safeguards to protect students.
However, the ongoing leadership row in the Senate involving two rival camps of Senators Win Gatchalian and Alan Cayetano could delay the investigation, according to Padilla.
“What happened to Rene and Divine is very painful. They were young people, full of dreams and had a bright future ahead. We owe it to their families, their schools, and all Filipino students to ensure that we can provide answers for what happened and strengthen measures so that this won’t happen to others again,” Padilla stressed.
Both Aquino and Padilla visited the wake of Baterbonia in Quezon City, before his remains were brought home to his hometown in Agusan del Sur on Friday. Adili’s remains, meanwhile, are set to be repatriated to Nigeria following an autopsy requested by the family.
Meanwhile, Go, chair of the Senate committee on sports, pressed concerned authorities to launch a swift, partial, and complete investigation to ferret out the truth behind the fatal tragedy.
“There are many questions that need to be answered to get to the whole truth. I join the quest to get to the bottom of this, Go said.
Authorities ruled out foul play in the fatal incident, but Baterbonia’s mother has continued to demand answers from Ateneo’s coaching staff and has cried justice for the untimely death of her son.
Baterbonia’s mother said she was not informed of the off-campus activity and has cried foul over Ateneo’s failure to immediately notify her of her son’s passing, saying she only learned about it through social media reports.
She was also not convinced of the university’s explanation, as she insisted that there were bruises on her son’s body.
Ateneo Men's Basketball Team Head Coach Tab Baldwin is reportedly in a state of shock and has yet to coordinate with the probers personally, and has only sent coaching staff members to provide details to the authorities and the families of the victims.
The Department of Justice already tapped the National Bureau of Investigation to form a task force, which will help determine whether there is a basis for criminal charges against the coaching staff of Ateneo.
