MANILA, Philippines — Reports that the death of Ateneo student-athletes Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili were allegedly due to hazing were not true, a witness to the incident told The Manila Times late Tuesday.
The source who requested anonymity likewise belied claims that the players were made to wear ankle weights and swim in the open sea as part of the team-building activity of the university’s varsity basketball contingent.
Baterbonia, 19, and Adili, 21, were with 16 others — rookies and veterans of the Blue Eagles team — on the afternoon of June 8 when tragedy struck.
The players, the source said, were about “10 to 15 meters away from the shore” in front of their resort in Dipaculao, Aurora when they were told to walk back from the water. That was when “the big waves hit” and almost wiped out “more than half” of the team had the coaches not immediately intervened.
“There was no hazing. There were no weights,” the source said and insisted the players were merely there “to run and do strengthening.”
Sadly, Baterbonia and Adili drowned.
The source noted that the coaches wanted to first break the news to the victims’ families and not post anything online until they were notified.
However, “the Coast Guard and random people started taking pictures and posted” on social media.
“The team is grieving and traumatized by the incident,” the source said, rejecting allegations that someone had intentionally harmed the victims.
The incident has led to calls for an investigation into the tragedy.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and other sports organizations, including the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), would investigate the incident, along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (PNP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Meanwhile, several lawmakers from the House of Representatives said they would file a resolution seeking an inquiry.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Ateneo said it was coordinating closely with the families of Baterbonia and Adili.
In a second statement it released, the Ateneo said that the remains of Baterbonia would be transferred to Quezon City while Adili would be flown back to his family in Nigeria.
The university also said that it would support the request of Baterbonia's mother, Rovelyn, for an autopsy to be coordinated with the proper authorities, including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
"The university is assisting the family in the necessary arrangements and is awaiting the written authorization required to begin processing the relevant documentation," it said.
