Reeling from the tragic fate that befell two student-athletes from Ateneo de Manila University, a lawmaker expressed his intent to conduct an investigation at the House of Representatives concerning the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a statement to reporters, Pinoy Workers Partylist Rep. Karl Fernandez Legazpi said that he would be filing a House Resolution urging the House Committee on Youth and Sport Development to launch a probe into the unfortunate development.
Legazpi, a former Commissioner of the National Youth Commission, noted that the tragedy was undoubtedly a “heartbreaking loss” for the family of the victims, the school that they represent, and the entire Philippine sports community.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the families, friends, and the entire Ateneo community following the tragic deaths of student-athletes Divine Adili and Rene Clert Baterbonia during a team-building activity in Aurora,” he stated.
“This loss reminds us that while sports cultivate discipline, resilience, and excellence, institutions entrusted with the development of young athletes must likewise be held to the highest standards of safety, care, and accountability,” he added.
The lawmaker mentioned that the investigation would not only focus on what happened to the student-athletes, rather it aims to enforce measures that would prevent a similar incident from occurring.
Legazpi explained that his main purpose was to identify if there are in fact “sufficient protections” in place for all aspiring youth and if the governing mechanisms on school-sponsored athletic programs needed to be improved.
“We owe it to Divine and Rene, and to every young Filipino athlete, to learn from this loss and pursue meaningful reforms,” he noted.
Rene Baterbonia, 19, and Divine Adili, 21, reportedly passed away after drowning during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.
Baterbonia was set to kick off his tenure with the Blue Eagles as one of the more sought after recruits from the 2026 high school basketball class while Adili was entering his second season with the storied school.
Ateneo has since come out with a statement where they affirmed their commitment to providing support for the relatives and teammates of the two big men.