The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) sees the completion of its investigation next week into the deaths of Ateneo de Manila University basketball players Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, with authorities focusing on determining whether any individuals or entities may be held accountable for the tragedy.
NBI director Melvin Matibag said investigators are in the final stages of gathering information, although several individuals still need to be interviewed before the probe can be concluded.
The investigation stems from an order issued by the Department of Justice (DoJ), which directed the NBI to create a special task force to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili, who drowned during a team activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.
The task force was specifically tasked with establishing the facts of the case and identifying any possible liabilities based on the evidence collected.
1 week more
“The investigation is still not yet complete, but we hope to finish it by next week,” Matibag said in Filipino.
According to the NBI chief, investigators continue to summon persons who may help shed light on the incident.
He noted that the owner of the resort where the tragedy occurred, accompanied by legal counsel, has already appeared before investigators and has been cooperating with the inquiry.
Matibag said the agency is working to complete the investigation as quickly as possible amid heightened public interest in the case, stressing the need to prevent speculation and the spread of misinformation.
He assured the public that the NBI would conduct a fair and thorough investigation and would not leave any angle unchecked before reaching its conclusions.
The NBI chief also confirmed that a copy of Baterbonia’s autopsy report has already been provided to the athlete’s mother.
The deaths of the two student-athletes have drawn widespread attention, prompting calls for a comprehensive review of the circumstances that led to the fatal incident.
