Amid the gravest crisis to grip Philippine collegiate basketball in recent history, the family of one of the victims has revealed a painful disconnect with the leadership of the Ateneo de Manila University basketball program.
Rovelyn Baterbonia, mother of the late Rene Baterbonia, disclosed that Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin has yet to directly reach out or communicate with the family since the tragedy occurred.
Rene, an 18-year-old incoming rookie from Agusan del Sur, and Nigerian student-athlete Divine Adili both drowned during a team-building and training camp in Baler, Aurora, this past Monday.
Speaking during a press conference at Arlington Memorial Chapels in Quezon City, where Rene’s remains currently lie in state, Rovelyn expressed grief over the lack of direct accountability and clear information from the program’s leadership.
“Kay Coach Tab, wala pa,” Rovelyn shared. “Sa ngayon, kung maghaharap kami, parang ‘di ko pa siya kayang kausapin kasi nga sabi ko, unahin ko muna yung anak ko.
“Iaayos ko muna yung burol niya, unahin ko muna ang anak ko. Kasi kung mag-uusap pa kami, matatagalan pa ako dito. Siguro may kontak sila sa akin para kung gusto nila ako makausap, ganyan, pero sa ngayon ‘di pa nila sinabi na makiusap sila sa akin.”
While Baldwin has remained distant, Rovelyn noted that other coaching staff members — namely Dean Castano and Sandro Soriano — have made an appearance to provide basic logistics, though they offered few details about the timeline of the incident.
“Yung teammates wala, pero yung coaches, sila yung nagsalita sa amin. Kasama po sila. ‘Yun nga, na-aksidente lang daw talaga,” she said.
“Sinabi nila na kung ano daw kailangan namin, sila daw ang magsasagot — transpo pauwi dito at papunta doon, sila daw magsasagot, magsabi lang daw po. Parang wala silang sinabi [ibang detalye] sa akin kanina.”
Rene was seen as one of the program’s most promising young prospects, with the potential to become the next breakout star of the Blue Eagles.
His decorated high school career was highlighted by MVP and Mythical Five honors, as he led DAVRAA to its historic first Palarong Pambansa title, along with a gold-medal finish at the 14th ASEAN Schools Games.
Under Baldwin’s tutelage, Ateneo has produced the likes of Thirdy Ravena, William Navarro, among many versatile forwards, and Baterbonia was widely viewed as the next in line to join that lineage.
What makes the tragedy even more devastating is how brief his collegiate journey turned out to be.
The former Ateneo de Davao standout had arrived at the Katipunan campus only on June 4.
Just four days later, an event that should have marked the beginning of his rise in Philippine basketball ended in unimaginable loss.
Latest reports from the Aurora Police Provincial Office state that the victims sustained asphyxia by drowning, after Baterbonia, Adili, and their teammates reportedly walked waist-deep into the water as part of a training activity.
Tragically, the group was swept by strong currents, and both Baterbonia and Adili did not survive.
“Anak ko po ay naaksidente,” said Rovelyn. “Si Rene, naaksidente po siya — nalunod. Kaya ‘yun, sabi ko, bakit naman ganoon? Tapos mula noon, wala nang info sa akin, hindi na sila nagbalita na, ‘Ma’am, yung anak mo nasa ospital,’ o ‘Ma’am, wala na talaga yung anak mo’,” she recalled.
“’Yan ang tinanong ko sa kanila: bakit hindi sila nakipag-communicate? And then, doon, wala pa yung tita, [pero nang] nakita niya, sabi ko, kumuha siya ng picture na patay na ang aking anak. Dahil wala sila ni isa — sa kanila walang nag-send ng picture, pati video na maipakita sa aking anak. Then, may kulang pa,” she continued.
“Bakit tinuloy ninyo yung team building or training na inabisuhan na pala kayo na may lindol? ‘Di ba lindol ‘yun nung umaga? May lindol, [dapat sinabi na] ‘wag muna mag-swimming, baka mag-iba yung alon ng dagat. Pero sabi nila, chineck daw nila, wala daw, kaya tumuloy sila. Wala daw ‘yun, kaya tumuloy na lahat sila. ‘Yun, doon na nangyari. ‘Yan ang sinasabi ko na kulang — siguro kasi ‘yan ang sinabi nila sa akin.”
No parent should ever have to bury their child, especially one who had made it his life’s mission to lift his family out of poverty. Rene was the second of seven siblings in a tight-knit family of nine.
Already struggling with the lack of communication from Baldwin and other officials from the Ateneo administration and team management since she arrived in Manila, Rovelyn Baterbonia found the courage to do what others have not — face the public.
Not only did she lose her child, she was also denied the space to grieve privately, left instead with unanswered questions that continue to weigh heavily on her.
“Umiyak ako kasi sinabi nila na aksidente lang daw at nanghingi sila ng sorry sa akin. Pero sabi ko, hindi maibabalik ng sorry ang anak ko; hindi na mabubuhay yung anak ko sa sorry,” she said.
“Bigyan ninyo lang ako ng malinaw na paliwanag na maano ko sa sarili ko na aksidente lang talaga. ‘Yun nga, sabi ko may kulang. Pero kung may kulang man, ‘yun ako lang ang makakaalam. Hangga’t ‘di nila sinasabi sa akin nang malinaw, sa damdamin ko, may kulang talaga. Depende, kasi ‘di ko pa rin alam hanggang ngayon. May pasa siya sa leeg, sa likod, sa kamay, at sa paa. May pasa siya.”
