MANILA, Philippines — Many saw Ateneo men's basketball team head coach Tab Baldwin responsible for the drowning of his players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora last week.
At least from the recollection of players Sam Reyes and Jared Bahay, though, Baldwin, 68, made an effort to help rescue Ian Espinosa and accompanied Baterbonia and Adili to the hospital.
Speaking in separate interviews, Reyes and Bahay recounted how Baldwin tried to help save his players.
Reyes, who appeared on the "Let's Talk" podcast with Pia Hontiveros Tuesday, said that after he made it back to the shore with Kieffer Alas, he saw Baldwin running toward the sea with a surfboard to help rescue Espinosa, one of the Ateneo players who don't know how to swim.
"Coach Tab was running back with a surfboard to go to Ian. Coach Sandro (Soriano) went into the water because at that time KG (Kyle Gamber) was screaming (for help)," said Reyes.
"He went to KG first and was helping KG. When KG was safe, he went to Ian. At that time, Coach Tab was already paddling with a surfboard on the way to Coach Sandro and Ian."
In a town hall at Ateneo de Manila University in Katipunan, Espinosa shared how he was ready to accept his death but Soriano and later Baldwin were there to help him, backing Reyes' account.
“I thought maybe this was it already… My left foot was cramping, so I was using my other foot to jump. When I jumped again, no one was there, and I told myself maybe this really is it,” said Espinosa.
“I said, no, one more. When I jumped, Coach Sandro Soriano was there… he was pushing me upward. But at that time, I was telling him I didn’t want to anymore, I didn’t want to. He said Coach Tab was behind me, holding a floatie,” he added.
Jared Bahay confirmed this after saying how they lost Adili.
"Coach Tab just went to get Ian because he didn't know how to swim so when he came back, he was struggling to breathe. He's like 68 years old. I told him, 'Coach, Divine's gone, Divine's gone,' and then everybody panicked," said Bahay.
Espinosa said Baldwin accompanied Baterbonia and Adili to the hospital. About an hour later, Baldwin returned to the resort and broke the bad news to the team Baterbonia, 18, and Adili, 21, did not survive.
